Aaron Rodgers is not bringing last year's drama into this season. In 2023, there was some back-and-forth between Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton, the Jets quarterback and New York's offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
Hackett was fired as the Broncos head coach during the 2022 season, after the team sat at 4-11. Payton took over the next year and didn't hold back when it came to his thoughts on his predecessor.
Payton called it "one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL," and Rodgers, who also worked with Hackett when they were both with the Green Bay Packers, didn't appreciate the criticism.
Rodgers said Payton was "insecure" and should "keep my coaches' names out of his mouth." The future Hall of Famer said Hackett was arguably his "favorite coach."
Some time has passed since the beef started and now these three are scheduled to meet this week, as the Jets are set to play host to the Broncos at MetLife Stadium. Rodgers says last year's comments are behind him and that he hasn't thought about it, as they prepare for their Week 4 opponent.
"No. That's old news," Rodgers said. "We've all said things that we'd like to take back. Some things have been said and taken out of context, I'm sure, from time to time. But I honestly haven't thought about it until you just brought it up."
Last year, Payton said he regretted being so vocal about Hackett.
"It was a learning experience for me. It was a mistake. Obviously, I needed a little bit more filter ... I needed a little bit more restraint. And I regret that," Payton said.
When these teams met last year, Rodgers was sidelined with an Achilles injury, so it was Zach Wilson leading the team. The Jets defeated Payton, quarterback Russell Wilson and Co.
Now, the Broncos are led by No. 12 overall pick Bo Nix. Denver is 1-2, coming off a 26-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rodgers just recorded his first win at home as a Jet, defeating divisional rival New England Patriots 24-3, to improve to 2-1.