It's long been an unwritten courtesy in the coaching profession to take the high road when talking about a team your inherit and their past.
Instead of the typical coach-speak you would expect, first-year Broncos head coach Sean Payton didn't mince words when asked about last year's Denver squad under Nathaniel Hackett, who lasted just one season leading the team and was dismissed after a 4-11 campaign.
In an interview with USA Today's Jarrett Bell, Payton called Hackett's one season as a head coach perhaps "one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL."
Payton was also critical of the Jets approach in "trying to win the off season" as well.
Hackett and new Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers have reunited this season in New York after previously working together in Green Bay, and during a post-practice conversation with NFL Network's Peter Schrager, Rodgers had a very direct message for Payton.
Video below.
“He (Hackett) is arguably my favorite coach I’ve ever had in the NFL. I thought it was way out of line, inappropriate, and I think he needs to keep my coaches’ names out of his mouth.” - @AaronRodgers12 to me on Sean Payton’s quotes @nflnetwork @NFL pic.twitter.com/f7Aur2WgMc
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) July 30, 2023
Payton, who spent his first season away from his lengthy tenure leading the Saints as an analyst for FOX, has since issued an apology.
“I had one of those moments where I still had my FOX hat on and not my coaching hat."
"I said this to the team in the meeting yesterday - we had a great offseason, relative to that. I’ve been preaching that message, and here I am, the veteran, stepping in it. It was a learning experience for me. It was a mistake, obviously. I needed a little bit more filter."
The Jets head out to Denver to take on Payton and the Broncos on October 8th. Safe to expect this exchange to be promoted far and wide leading up to that one.