Broncos coach Sean Payton caused a stir in the summer with harsh criticism of his predecessor Nathaniel Hackett. Now he is coming back with the Jets – including thoughts of revenge from his players.

These words had it in them! Only a few days had passed in the Denver Broncos’ training camp this past summer when Head Coach Sean Payton criticised his predecessor and his coaching staff in an interview with “USA Today Sports”.

“Of course, many people share the blame for last year’s performance, but the performance of the coaching staff was one of the worst I’ve ever seen in NFL history. (…) Everything I heard about last year… we’re going to do the opposite,” Payton rumbled.

The target of his criticism was Nathaniel Hackett. Hackett had worked as head coach for the first time in the past NFL season and had been dismissed by the Denver Broncos after a record of only four wins and eleven losses.

For the high expectations in Denver – with the recently signed star quarterback Russell Wilson – clearly too little.

After leaving the Broncos, Hackett quickly found a new home as offensive coordinator with the New York Jets. With quarterback Aaron Rodgers, with whom Hackett had already gotten along very well in their Packers days, a new chapter was to be opened.

Jets players introduce themselves to Hackett

While Rodgers suffered a serious injury in week one, it hasn’t changed Hackett’s desire for success with the franchise from the Big Apple.

And as the schedule would have it, a very special matchup awaits in Week Five, with the Jets hosting the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday.

So the New York players are definitely harbouring a thought or two of revenge before the game. “He was thrown in front of the bus, and then they tried to drag him under the bus,” centre Connor McGovern is quoted as saying by “ESPN”.

He added: “We wanted to rally around him from the beginning. He’s such a good guy. We want to go as far as we can with him as our play-caller. “

Great motivation against the Broncos

Teammate Alijah Vera-Tucker also expressed similar sentiments. Thus, the tackle stated that the team will “rally behind Hack no matter what”.

He continued, “I think this week some of the guys are even more motivated just because of the comments that were made earlier. “

While the Jets’ offense has had some problems under backup quarterback Zach Wilson and has already suffered three losses with only one win, the athletes still have nothing but positive things to say about Hackett.

Hackett wants to take focus off himself

“He’s a phenomenal coach, insanely smart, and he makes meets really fun and easy to learn. So he’s definitely someone you want to play hard for. Then when you come to a place where such a nice and good guy has been thrown under the bus and dragged through the mud, of course you want to play that much harder,” McGovern continued.

Hackett himself tried to deflect the focus away from himself ahead of the explosive match, instead stressing his role in wanting to help the players. But despite attempts to play down his return tohis old stomping ground, the “revenge” his players are hoping for is still the focus of attention.

Bankruptcy would be awkward for Sean Payton

Hackett’s successor Payton, who had caused the explosion with his statements in the first place, didn’t want to know anything more about it in the days before the match. Shortly after his comments, he had already apologised to Hackett.

What should be particularly annoying for the Broncos coach is that his team, just like the New York Jets, has a record of 1-3.

So anything less than a win would be extremely unpleasant for the hosts’ full-bodied coach.