Rodgers: Broncos' Payton needs to 'keep my coach's name out of his mouth'

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers isn't happy with Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton's recent comments about New York Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.

"It made me feel that bad that someone who's accomplished a lot in the league is that insecure that they have to take another man down to set themselves up for some sort of easy fall if it doesn't go well for that team this year," Rodgers said Sunday while talking with Fox Sports' Peter Schrager on NFL+.

"I thought it was way out of line, inappropriate, and I think he needs to keep my coach's name out of his mouth."

Payton blasted the 2022 Broncos on Thursday and took aim at last year's head coach in Hackett, adding, "It might have been one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL."

Payton also said this year's Jets could be setting themselves up for a similarly embarrassing year to the 2022 Broncos, commenting that he "can see it coming."

Hackett was the Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator from 2019-21 and helped coach Rodgers to back-to-back MVP campaigns in 2020 and 2021. He joined Rodgers in New York this offseason after his one-year stint in Denver.

"(Payton's) comments were very surprising, for a coach to do that to another coach," said Rodgers. " On the field, (Hackett) is arguably my favorite coach I've ever had in the NFL. Just his approach to it - how he makes it fun, how he cares about the guys, just how he goes about his business with respect, with leadership, with honesty, with integrity."

Payton apologized Friday for his criticism and said, "I still had one of those moments where I still had my Fox hat on and not my coaching hat on."

The Broncos host the Jets in Week 5.