Hackett says hating anyone, including the Raiders, is too much energy
Sep 29, 2022, 12:29 PM | Updated: 12:31 pm
On Wednesday, Broncos edge-rusher Bradley Chubb made headlines.
The veteran said he hates the Las Vegas Raiders. Chubb echoed what many fans think; he can’t stand Denver’s fiercest rival in the NFL.
“I hate ’em, to be honest with you. I hate ’em,” Chubb said. ‘It’s only a few teams in the league that I hate, and they’re one of them, because every time we go there, I feel like it hasn’t gone in our favor.”
This is true. The Broncos have lost six road games in a road to the Raiders, whether it be Oakland or Vegas. Since Chubb arrived in 2018, Denver is 2-6 against the silver and black. And on the road, they’ve lost all four games played since the Broncos drafted him.
“More the results. It’s nothing too crazy on the field. But just coming up short these last couple of times in Vegas or Oakland, you just kind of want to get that bad taste out of your mouth,” Chubb elaborated on the hatred.
On Thursday, Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett was asked about Chubb’s comments. Hackett’s never played the Raiders in orange and blue, so maybe he doesn’t appreciate the rivalry just yet. But he made it clear, hate isn’t something that’s part of him.
“You know, it’s a great rivalry. It has been for a long time. It’s part of the (AFC) West and you know (winning) the West is the fastest way of having a chance to get to the playoffs. So, there’s definitely emphasis on that. From (Chubb’s) standpoint, can’t really hate anybody. I mean in this world, that’s too much energy. But it’s another game, we’re excited to go against the Raiders,” Hackett said.
It’s an interesting response, and one some fans might take exception with. On one hand, hate is a very strong word. It’s just football, after all, and there’s a lot going on in this world that is way more important.
On the other, if there’s a football team Broncos fans hate, it’s definitely the Raiders. There’s so much history there and so many memorable (and vitriol) moments. Over time, maybe Hackett will learn to hate the Raiders. But if he has the success against them that Vic Fangio and Vance Joseph didn’t, his tune will probably stay the same.
Overall, it’s a fascinating dynamic between a player and a coach with different philosophies about the team’s most loathed rival.
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