Analysis
8/2/23
3 min read
Broncos' Sean Payton's Remarks on Jets' Hackett 'Calculated Statement'
No one knows what prompted Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton to verbally spear New York Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett last week, but Hackett fired back Tuesday at his news conference.
“Obviously, last week has been a very unique week, I think, for this organization,” Hackett said. “I’ve been involved in this business my whole life, 43 years. And as a coach, as a coach’s kid, we live in a glass house ... And it’s one of those things that, there’s a code. There’s a way things are done in that house."
Payton had told USA Today he believed the work Hackett and his staff did with the 2022 Broncos “was one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.” Hackett was fired as head coach after the Broncos went 4-11 in his short tenure.
Former Rams coach and The 33rd Team contributor Mike Martz spoke about the feud.
"I don't know if there's a code. I've never heard of a code whether unspoken or not," Martz said. "I don't think that was an off-the-cuff remark by Sean (Payton) — I think Sean's very smart. I think he's a great football coach and a great man. During the season, I said what I thought was happening there. It wasn't good. It was really bad. And he's (Hackett) responsible for that, as we all are as head coaches."
During Hackett's tenure, the Broncos' offense averaged 14.5 points per game, and the team had to hire veteran coach Jerry Rosburg to help Hackett with his in-game time management. All of that came after the team traded for veteran quarterback Russell Wilson in the offseason, heaping high expectations onto Hackett's Broncos.
Martz believes Payton's comments were meant to help Wilson after he struggled so much last season.
"And I do think, possibly, when Sean went in there and saw how bad it really was and what had happened, he probably got very angry about it," Martz said. "The quarterback (Russell Wilson) was taking some shots unnecessarily. It might have been a calculated statement. Take some of the heat off the quarterback, potentially. But it was really bad there. You know, is there a code that you just don't say anything about that? You know, that doesn't belong just to football. That's just in general."
Payton said he regretted his words the following day. Although Payton has said he'd call Hackett, the Jets offensive coordinator told reporters he's not expecting a call from Payton.
“It is what it is. We move on,” Hackett said.
Payton's Broncos will host the Jets on Oct. 8 in a Week 5 matchup with, perhaps, extra motivation for both sides.
