Aaron Rodgers, Robert Saleh sound off after Jets beat Sean Payton, Broncos

Aaron Rodgers may not have been with the Jets as they defeated Sean Payton’s Broncos in Denver on Sunday. But he was watching as New York pulled away thanks to a late fumble recovery by cornerback Bryce Hall after Quincy Williams forced Russell Wilson to cough up the ball.

And Rodgers had one person on his mind in particular — Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, making his return to Denver after he was fired last year just 15 weeks into his first season as Broncos head coach.

Hackett was previously Rodgers’ offensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers when Rodgers won the final two of his four NFL MVP awards. After his dismissal from Denver, the Jets hired Hackett to be their offensive coordinator, and he then helped the team successfully recruit Rodgers into asking for a trade there from Green Bay.

Payton, the former Super Bowl-winning New Orleans Saints head coach hired as Hackett’s replacement with the Broncos, turned head during training camp when he ripped his predecessor, calling Hacket’s stint with the team in 2022 “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL” in an interview with USA Today.

Payton also said at the time his approach with the Broncos would be “the opposite” of “everything I heard about last season.” He even shaded the Jets for “trying to win the offseason” with their hire of Hackett and subsequent acquisition or Rodgers.

Payton later called his comments on Hackett a “mistake” that he regretted.

However, Rodgers fired back at Payton a few days later, labeling him as “insecure” and wanting to “set [himself] for some sort of easy fall if it doesn’t go well for that team this year.”

“I think it was way out of line, inappropriate, and I think he needs to keep my coaches’ names out of his mouth,” Rodgers said.

‘If you don’t win this game, you may be back with us’ – Rob Gronkowski jokes about Sean Payton’s matchup with Nathaniel Hackett

While the Jets are scrambling after Rodgers rehabs from a torn Achilles tendon suffered just four snaps into the season, the Broncos fell to 1-4 under Payton after Sunday’s loss to the Jets. Russell Wilson’s play has improved, but the Broncos have the worst scoring defense in the league, allowing 36.2 points per game.

Even the Jets, whose offense has been inconsistent since former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson was pressed back into starter duty after Rodgers’ injury, scored a season-high 31 points against Denver.

Rodgers was not the only person who had Payton’s offseason comments on his mind after the Jets’ win. Head coach Robert Saleh, who also defended Hackett after Payton’s interview, gave the game ball to his offensive coordinator.

Several other high-profile players, such as cornerback Sauce Gardner, also joined in on the trolling, as did the team’s official social media accounts.

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