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Some real AFC beef is brewing
At this rate, the Week 5 tilt between the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets might just be the game of the year
Or at least the most-anticipated matchup.
The reason? A brewing war of words between the two AFC teams, with the latest salvo coming from none other than new Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The beef was set in motion by Broncos head coach Sean Payton, who last week blasted his new team’s performance a year ago under former head coach Nathaniel Hackett. Payton — who described what he saw from Denver and Hackett last year as “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL” — has since walked back those comments, but that has not stopped the Jets from responding, and defending Hackett.
Who, after all, is their new offensive coordinator.
First it was head coach Robert Saleh, who said that Payton can “say whatever the hell he wants” before calling Hackett “phenomenal.” But on Sunday it was Rodgers’ turn. Rodgers and Hackett have a long-standing relationship, dating back to their time with the Green Bay Packers, and in a sit down with Peter Schrager of the NFL Network, Rodgers did not hold back.
The new Jets QB blasted Payton, describing him as “insecure” and warning him to “keep my coach’s name out of his mouth.”
You can see his comments in full here:
Rodgers also described Hackett as “arguably my favorite coach I’ve ever had in the NFL.”
Will this be the final salvo in this war of words? Maybe.
And maybe not.
Either way, Week 5 is going to be must-watch television.
