NY Jets players clap back at Sean Payton's unprompted rant
By Justin Fried
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton's comments about the NY Jets clearly didn't go over well with those in the locker room. Needless to say, Jets players aren't happy with Payton's unprompted rant.
In an interview with Jarrett Bell of USA Today posted on Thursday, Payton ripped into the Jets and former Broncos head coach (current Jets offensive coordinator) Nathaniel Hackett.
Payton accused the Jets of trying to win the offseason and making many of the same mistakes the Broncos made last year before calling Hackett's tenure with Denver "one of the worst coaching jobs in NFL history."
Payton shielded criticism from his quarterback, Russell Wilson, instead placing blame on the former coaching staff. He called last year's team an embarrassment while also implying the Jets were looking for attention with their appearance on "Hard Knocks" this year.
Of course, the Jets did everything they could to avoid appearing on the HBO show, even going as far as to restrict access more than any "Hard Knocks" team has done in the show's history. Payton must've missed that memo, however.
"We’re not doing any of that. The Jets did that this year. You watch. 'Hard Knocks,' all of it. I can see it coming. Remember when (former Washington owner) Dan Snyder put that Dream Team together? I was at the Giants (in 2000). I was a young coach. I thought, ‘How are we going to compete with them? Deion’s (Sanders) there now.’ That team won eight games or whatever. So, listen…just put the work in."
- Sean Payton
NY Jets players are NOT happy with Sean Payton's comments
Payton's unprovoked comments not only bothered some within the Broncos organization, per Broncos insider Benjamin Allbright, but it clearly made him some new enemies in Florham Park.
Among those to respond to Payton's comments was Jets offensive tackle Billy Turner. Turner notably spent last season in Denver and has an extensive history working under Hackett. Perhaps that's partially what fueled Turner's profane response.
Turner called Payton a "f*****g bum" and even brought up the infamous BountyGate scandal that the former New Orleans Saints head coach was a part of. Other Jets players appeared to weigh in as well, including Mekhi Becton and Breece Hall.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh unsurprisingly took the high road when asked about Payton's comments on Thursday. That said, he did offer up a new Saleh-ism in the process.
"If you ain't got no haters, you ain't popping. So hate away. Obviously we’re doing something right if you’ve gotta talk about us when we don’t play you until Week 5."
- Robert Saleh
Payton's unnecessary remarks simply provide bulletin board material for the Jets in anticipation of the team's Week 5 meeting with the Broncos this season. If anything, it only serves to provide the Jets with extra motivation.
The Jets will be out for revenge when they face Kevin James...sorry...Sean Payton and the Broncos this October in Denver.