Respected 30-year NFL veteran condemns Sean Payton’s “disappointing” attack on Nathaniel Hackett

Sean Payton was labelled as essentially the opposite of Nathaniel Hackett and a much harsher head coach when he was hired earlier this year.

After mostly ducking opportunities to prove that assertion right this offseason, the Broncos head coach might have offered his strongest remarks about anyone yet.

Payton called the 2022 season "one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL" per USA Today via CBS Sports. 30-year league veteran Herm Edwards was perplexed on hearing his comments. Here's how he put it when speaking on First Take:

"It was disappointing to hear what he said about another coach that has left that organization... this is the first I've heard a coach... say something like that about a previous coach that he took over for. You do that inside the building."

He continued, explaining that Payton had crossed a new line:

"You can voice everything that you just said inside the building when you go public. That's bad ball... As a guy that's been in that league for over 30 years. Most of all, I've never seen a coach do this. I've never seen a coach do that... Sean has a right to say whatever he wants... I was scratching my head."

Some lines of work are cutthroat on the inside and nice on the outside, while others are cutthroat all the way around. The comments made by the head coach, Edwards might argue, push the coaching career atmosphere into the latter camp.

Sean Payton's comments open door for toxic rebuttle

Sean Payton at New Orleans Saints v New York Jets

While the current Broncos head coach is dancing on Nathaniel Hackett's grave, it also sets him up to fall doubly hard this season.

Hackett went 4-11 with him and 5-12 on the year. If it truly was "one of the worst coaching jobs in NFL history," Payton should be able to demolish his predecessor's win total.

However, since Manning retired, the team has won just five games in two separate seasons across two head coaching eras. Meaning, at face value, there is a real mathematical chance for Russell Wilson's team to come up well short once again.

Even if the team only slightly beats 2022's win total number, some might be quick to use the Broncos head coach's words against him, labelling it only a little better than Hackett's.

Will the former Saints head coach's words come back to bite him after the 2023 season?

If any of the above quotes are used, please credit First Take and H/T Sportskeeda.