BRONCOS

Plenty to unpack after Nathaniel Hackett gets revenge on Broncos

Oct 8, 2023, 7:39 PM | Updated: Oct 9, 2023, 2:42 pm

Former Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett got his revenge.

And there’s plenty to unpack after the Jets dispatched of the Broncos 31-21 on Sunday afternoon.

This summer, Denver head coach Sean Payton blasted Hackett, saying his time with the team was one of the worst coaching jobs in NFL history.

Payton wasn’t wrong, but probably didn’t need to share that thought publicly. He was mocked by the Jets social media team after the game, and the Internet is now dunking on the Broncos. Hackett was rewarded with a game ball by New York head coach Robert Saleh, and a fiery pregame speech made it clear the Jets were playing for their offensive coordinator.

Hackett told 9NEWS and 104.3 The Fan Broncos insider Mike Klis he didn’t want to talk about the “revenge,” but it’s clear this meant a lot to him.

Payton took the blame for Denver’s anemic offense in the second half, and star cornerback Sauce Gardner was a big reason why. He didn’t have any problem going to Twitter right after the Jets improved to 2-3 and the Broncos fell to 1-4.

That’s a clear shot at Denver QB Russell Wilson, who had the corny tag line a year ago before ultimately ditching it in the middle of a brutal 5-12 season.

Hackett was awful with the Broncos, but all these victory laps are expected. That’s what happens when Payton pops off to USA Today and can’t back up the talk. His Denver team is tough to watch, already posting an 0-3 mark at home.

For Hackett, it has to be sweet. His name was dragged through the mud, violating the “code” among NFL coaches. Again, Payton wasn’t incorrect, but he simply shouldn’t have said it.

Now, the Broncos are a national punchline once again. And this feels like the disastrous 2022 season on repeat.

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