ESPN: Anonymous Broncos Employee Calls Out Sean Payton for Ripping Hackett, 2022 Team

At least one member of the Denver Broncos organization wasn't happy with head coach Sean Payton's decision to rip New York Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.

"Some people were surprised at that, not happy, people are giving him their best, working their asses off and this organization has done an awful lot right for a long time, more than most," an employee who requested anonymity said, per Jeff Legwold of ESPN.

Payton turned heads earlier this offseason when he suggested Russell Wilson was hamstrung by the performance of then-Broncos coach Hackett and the offensive line during the 2022 campaign.

"Everybody's got a little stink on their hands," Payton said, per Jarrett Bell of USA Today. "It's not just Russell (Wilson). It was a (poor) offensive line. It might have been one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL. That's how bad it was."

While Denver went 4-11 under Hackett before he was fired, the comments did not go over well in many circles.

Aaron Rodgers, who is with Hackett on the Jets this season and played on the Green Bay Packers when the coach was an offensive coordinator for the NFC North team from 2019-21, called Payton "insecure" and said to "keep my coach's name out of his mouth" during an interview with Peter Schrager:

New York head coach Robert Saleh told reporters, "I'm not going to acknowledge Sean" while adding "if you ain't got no haters, you ain't popping. So hate away."

Jets offensive lineman Billy Turner, who was with the Broncos last season, also ripped Payton:

For his part, the new Denver head coach apologized for his comments and suggested he was still in analyst mode after working for Fox during the 2022 season. He also admonished himself for creating a distraction for his team as it builds toward the 2023 campaign.

It is not a surprise members of the Jets jumped to Hackett's defense, but it is notable a Denver employee pointed out people within the organization were not happy with the comments.

After all, the team is looking to bounce back from a 5-12 record and now had to answer plenty of questions about Payton. The quotes also might serve as billboard material for the Jets when the two AFC teams play each other in a Week 5 game that will be under a much brighter spotlight.

Yet if Payton helps the Broncos win and Wilson return to the form he demonstrated as a nine-time Pro Bowler on the Seattle Seahawks, the comments will be long forgotten by season's end.