Aaron Rodgers Defends Nathaniel Hackett, Calls Sean Payton 'Insecure,' Says To 'Keep My Coaches' Names Out Of His Mouth'

Spicy! Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton made waves across the NFL community this week. In order to puff up his quarterback, Russell Wilson, Payton crushed the former Denver Broncos' coaching staff. That includes former head coach Nathaniel Hackett, the New York Jets offensive coordinator. And quarterback Aaron Rodgers went to bat for his former and current coordinator.

Rodgers played under Hackett in Green Bay from 2019-2021. Many speculated that the Broncos hired Hackett to lure Rodgers to Denver. That didn't work and instead they traded for Russell Wilson, who had one of the worst seasons of his career in 2022-23.

The Broncos fired Hackett not even one full season into his tenure. The Jets hired him but this time the tactic worked. New York traded for Aaron Rodgers three months after hiring Hackett.

Aaron Rodgers takes a snap as New York Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett looks on during training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Sean Payton blamed the Broncos coaching staff for, essentially, breaking Russell Wilson. And he named Hackett.

“There’s so much dirt around that,” Payton said last week, as OutKick's Amber Harding reported. “There’s 20 dirty hands, for what was allowed, tolerated in the frickin' training rooms, the meeting rooms. The offense. I don’t know Hackett. A lot of people had dirt on their hands.

“That wasn’t his fault,” Payton continued. “That was the parents who allowed it. That’s not an incrimination on him, but an incrimination on the head coach, the GM, the president and everybody else who watched it all happen.”

Former Broncos lineman and current Jets lineman Billy Turner called Payton a "f***king bum."

Denver Broncos QB Russell Wilson and head coach Sean Payton look on during a Denver Nuggets game. (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)

Aaron Rodgers not happy that Sean Payton took shots at New York Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett

"I love Nathaniel Hackett," Rodgers told Fox Sports and NFL Network reporter Peter Schrager.

"And on the field, he’s arguably my favorite coach I’ve ever had in the NFL – his approach to it, how he makes it fun. How he cares about the guys. Just how he goes about his business – with respect, with leadership, with honestly, with integrity. 

"And, 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 continued.

"I thought it was way out of line, inappropriate and I think he needs to keep my coaches’ names out of his mouth."

Aaron Rodgers and the Jets travel to Denver to face Sean Payton, Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos in Week 5.

Get your popcorn ready!