Jets' Nathaniel Hackett tight-lipped about Sean Payton rip-job
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Either Nathaniel Hackett is a great actor, or his return to Denver to face Sean Payton on Sunday really doesn’t hold any extra significance to the Jets’ offensive coordinator.
Payton, the new Broncos coach, was critical this summer of Hackett’s performance in his one year in Denver, saying it was “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL,” in a scathing interview with USA Today Sports in which he ripped the Jets’ attempt to win the offseason and claimed the Broncos went about their business in the wrong way under Hackett.
On Thursday, Hackett sidestepped questions about Payton, repeatedly telling reporters that his only focus is snapping the team’s three-game losing streak.
“We got to go win a football game,” Hackett said. “I think that for all of us, our sole focus is on winning a football game. We got to get better on offense, and we got to do our part to be able to score more points.”
Hackett said the two have not spoken since the comments, and he hasn’t received any calls from Payton, who had said he would personally apologize at the right time.
Hackett declined to say if he would talk to Payton, who won a Super Bowl as the Saints’ coach in 2010, prior to kickoff.
Quarterback Zach Wilson said Hackett has not brought up Payton at all in any meetings. He doesn’t want it to be a distraction.
“Let’s put it this way, everyone: This game is about those guys out on that field,” said Hackett, who was fired by the Broncos late last season, with Denver at 4-11. “This game is not about me. It’s about me helping them during the week. But I just want the guys to go out there and play a great game. That’s what we’re looking for. What has happened is in the past, we all moved forward.”
At the time of the comments, Hackett said Payton violated a code that coaches live by of not criticizing one another.
Aaron Rodgers, a close friend of Hackett’s, called Payton “insecure” and told NFL+ he felt it was “way out of line, inappropriate, and I think he needs to keep my coaches’ names out of his mouth.”
Payton later apologized during a press conference, saying he was still thinking like an analyst.
Ironically, Payton has yet to impress anyone with the job he has done in Denver.
The Broncos are 1-3, with their lone win coming in Week 4 over the winless Bears, and have allowed the most points (150) in the sport, including 70 to the Dolphins.
Hackett, though, chose not to take a victory lap, stressing his only concern is the team he now coaches.
When asked if he thinks Payton regrets what he said, Hackett replied, “I don’t know. Ask him.”
The Jets will look to end their three-game losing streak Sunday and build off Wilson’s best showing of the season in Week 4 against the Chiefs.
Without Rodgers, the Jets are averaging just 15.5 points per game.
That is tied for the 25th-most in the sport, ahead of only the Patriots, Bengals and Giants.
But they are coming off their best offensive performance of the young season in a 23-20 loss to the contending Chiefs.
Now, they hope to build on that, and get Hackett a win against his former team and the coach who chose to rip him publicly.
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