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Nathaniel Hackett got roasted by Sean Payton in one of the most viral stories to come out of training camp during the 2023 NFL offseason. Payton basically blamed Hackett for the Denver Broncos' disastrous 2022 season, calling it "one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL."
After taking a ton of criticism around the NFL, Sean Payton quickly issued a statement the following day that some of his comments were out of line. Nathaniel Hackett responded during a press conference at New York Jets' training camp shortly after.
Hackett pretty much took the high road in his statement, saying he was a bit surprised by Payton's attack but makes no excuses for his poor performance. Apparently former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf disagreed with Hackett's approach. Leaf taunted him from his personal Twitter account and told him what he "should" have said.
Here's what Ryan Leaf had to say:
"Wah, Wah, Wah…This is how it should have gone. "Sean is right, I was sh*t, I didn’t meet the challenge, it taught me a lot, hope to get that chance again someday. Respect Sean a ton, he is a Super Bowl-winning Head Coach. Looking forward to Week 5 in Denver!" "
Sean Payton's unprecedented and uncharacteristic comments about Nathaniel Hackett have resulted in many big names around the NFL chiming in, with Leaf being the most recent. Probably the most notable to issue a public statement about the situation is Aaron Rodgers. He did so during his interview during training camp to stand up for his offensive coordinator with the New York Jets and Green Bay Packers.
What did Aaron Rodgers say about Sean Payton in defense of Nathaniel Hackett?
Aaron Rodgers was one of the first, as well as one of the most notable, to issue a direct response to Sean Payton's controversial comments about Nathaniel Hackett's head coaching performance last year.
Rodgers said:
"I thought it was way out of line, inappropriate, and I think he needs to keep my coach's name out of his mouth."
While the NFL preseason hasn't even started yet, this already sets up what has now become one of the most highly-anticipated games scheduled for the early part of the 2023 regular season. The New York Jets and Denver Broncos are set to face off in Week 5 featuring a newly formed rivalry.
