Jets' Aaron Rodgers defends offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, warns Sean Payton

Aaron Rodgers and Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett go back, since their time together in Green Bay when Rodgers was the Packers’ quarterback and Hackett was the offensive coordinator.

So, it makes sense that Rodgers was not a fan of the comments made by Broncos head coach Sean Payton about the job Hackett did with the team last season when he was the head coach in Denver.

“I love Nathaniel Hackett and those comments were very surprising, for a coach to do that to another coach,” Rodgers told Peter Schrager on NFL+. “My love for Hackett goes deep. We had some great years together in Green Bay, kept in touch, love him and his family. He’s an incredible family man, an incredible dad and on the field he’s arguably my favorite coach I’ve ever had in the NFL.”

Together in Green Bay from 2019-2021, Rodgers and Hackett led the Packers to the league’s best scoring offense during the 2020 season. Rodgers also won back-to-back MVP awards in 2020 and 2021 with Hackett by his side and calling plays.

Now in the same roles for the Jets this season, Rodgers and Hackett hope to continue that success in their first year in New York.

“Just his approach to it, how he makes it fun, how he cares about the guys,” Rodgers said about what he likes about Hackett. “Just how he goes about his business with respect, with leadership, with honesty, with integrity.”

It’s no secret that Hackett struggled in his first year as a head coach, leading the Broncos to a 5-12 record and in last place in the AFC West. Since then, Denver brought in Payton, a long-time head coach who has had success his entire coaching career (.623 winning percentage).

Payton made headlines earlier this week after he ripped the job Hackett did in Denver, saying Hackett turned in “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL,” among other disparaging comments.

“It made me feel bad that someone who’s accomplished a lot in the league is that insecure that they have to take another man down to set themselves up for some sort of easy fall if it doesn’t go well for that team this year,” Rodgers said. “I thought it was way out of line, inappropriate and I think he needs to keep my coach’s names out of his mouth.”