The Jets are prepared to play for Nathaniel Hackett, who has yet to get an apology from Sean Payton.

Have Sean Payton and Nathaniel Hackett spoken since the current head coach of the Denver Broncos blasted his predecessor?

“No,” Hackett responded curtly before coordinating the offense of the New York Jets at practice on Thursday.

Did Payton reach out, or did Hackett decline the call, or —

“Nope,” Hackett replied before the inquiry could be completed.

Did Hackett communicate to his players about the Jets’ trip to Denver this weekend and his feelings after the team fired him last December, less than a year into his job?

“Nope,” Hackett replied. “Just got to get ready for another game.”

Finally, does he believe Payton regrets the numerous negative remarks he made during a training camp interview in late July?

“I don’t know,” answered Hackett. “Ask him.”

To be fair, the purported feud between coaches originates more from Payton’s conduct than from Hackett’s. In late July, Payton told USA TODAY’s Jarrett Bell that Hackett’s 4-11 record was embarrassing for the head coach, general manager, and team president. Payton attempted to shift blame away from quarterback Russell Wilson, claiming that “it was the parents who allowed” the dysfunctional system that Denver muddied last season.

“Everything I heard about last season, we’re doing the opposite,” Payton was quoted as saying. “It could have been one of the worst coaching jobs in NFL history.” That’s how horrible things were.”

Neither Hackett nor the Broncos have had a smooth start to the season.
What does Payton’s 25% winning percentage warrant in light of Hackett’s 26.6% winning percentage in Denver?

The Broncos’ 70-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 3 adds insult to injury.

In reality, neither Hackett’s Jets offense nor Payton’s Broncos offense got off to a good start this season, though both showed improvement in Week 4. Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos completed 75% of his passing attempts in a 223-yard, three-touchdown effort with no mistakes. His 133.5 passer rating was the best of his Broncos career, leading the team to a 31-28 comeback victory over the Chicago Bears.

After Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles four snaps into the season, Jets quarterback Zach Wilson performed the best game of his three-year career. Wilson completed 71.8% of his throws for 245 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions in a 23-20 loss against the Kansas City Chiefs, earning a career-high 105.2 passer rating.

Even in previous games, the Jets struggled to move the chains, posting 10% and 14% third-down success rates in consecutive weeks. Wilson’s ability to play more freely seems to be crucial to his development.

“I think he’s been wanting to make those throws, but he’s been so worried about mistakes and turnovers,” Jets receiver Randall Cobb explained. “He have the ability. And he demonstrated it tonight.”

According to the Jets, Hackett also demonstrated his ability to customize a game plan to a quarterback for whom he had no plans to scheme this season, all while making preparation entertaining during the week and explaining the reasoning behind decisions.

“I always want to know the intention of plays, why we are putting a play in, and what the look is for,” Wilson said. “He does a great job of showing us, ‘Hey, this is what we have seen, this is why we want this play’, and just being very open to having that communication as to why he is doing something.”

Win for Jets would be a win for Hackett

So what’s the Jets’ “why” for wanting to win this week?

There’s the classic coachspeak Hackett gave, saying “every game we want to win and every game we want to put the guys in a great position.”

Wilson’s confidence, and the Jets’ confidence in him, is also at stake: Can he show that last week was the beginning of a turning point rather than a fluke? The 2021 No. 2 overall pick will face a defense that’s surrendered more points, yards, first downs, passing touchdowns and rushing yards than any club in the league. Even extracting the 70-point Dolphins performance, the Broncos allowed Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell to guide a 35-point performance and Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields to oversee a 28-point outing. Wilson will have opportunities.

And then there’s the why of wanting to defend the offensive coordinator whom the Jets speak very highly of as a person, knowing that the criticism Payton levied was outside of NFL norms and best practices.

“He got thrown under the bus — and then they tried to drag him under the bus,” ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported. “Going to a place where a guy who’s so nice and so good at his job gets thrown under the bus and dragged through the mud makes you want to play that much harder.”

McGovern went on to say that the Jets seek “payback.”

Even if the Jets’ rallying cry this season has been to tune out the noise — Wilson conducting his Thursday locker room interview undisturbed by teammates’ yells and the loud thumps of a cornhole game seemed a perfect image – players realize a win at Denver will mean something different.

The quarterback followed his coordinator’s lead in avoiding bulletin board material while admitting that “to an extent,” playing for Hackett’s reputation resonates.

Hackett had not brought up the matter in team meetings this week as of Thursday.

“He is a tough dude that focuses on where his focus needs to be,” he remarked. “His priority is to assist this offensive in doing its best. That kind of thing doesn’t bother him at all.”

Nonetheless, a victory in Denver can fulfill multiple objectives at once.

“Absolutely, we want to go get this win,” Wilson stated. “For this team, for him, and everybody involved.”