If one thing became clear this week, it's that Sean Payton definitely wasn't a fan of the coaching job that Nathaniel Hackett pulled off in Denver last season.
During an interview with USA Today, Payton said that Hackett's one-year stint with the Broncos was one of the "worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL." Although Payton ripped Hackett -- and you can read more about that here -- he also took a subtle shot at his own front office.
At one point during his interview, Payton was asked about the issues with Russell Wilson, and while he placed some of the blame for Wilson's problems on Hackett, he also threw general manager George Paton and team president Damani Leech under the bus, two people still with the organization in the same job that they held last year.
"A lot of people had dirt on their hands," Payton said of Wilson's struggles. "It wasn't just Russell. He didn't just flip. He still has it. This B.S. that he hit a wall? Shoot, they couldn't get a play in. They were 29th in the league in pre-snap penalties on both sides of the ball."
After that, Payton pointed to the fact that Wilson should have never received the special treatment he was given.
"That wasn't his fault," Payton added. "That was the parents who allowed it. That's not an incrimination on him but an incrimination on the head coach, the GM, the president and everybody else who watched it all happen."
The head coach was Hackett, who's obviously no longer with the team, but the GM and president are still with the team, and you have to think Paton and Leach weren't thrilled to be mentioned in Payton's scorched earth interview.
Most coaches wouldn't throw their current general manager or president under the bus -- they'd be worried about losing their job -- but Payton did it, which proves how much power he wields in the organization. As the Denver Gazette noted in April before the draft, Payton is the one in charge now with Paton basically losing a lot of power that he had before Payton's arrival. "Instead of making all the decisions in free agency and the draft, as he did with the previous coach, Paton this time won't make a pick or a trade without Payton's approval."
The Broncos president and GM are two guys Payton has to see nearly every day, so it will be interesting to see if the coach's comments create any sort of rift in the organization.
No matter how you feel, it's never a good look to throw your organization under the bus -- whether it's the front office or the prior coaching staff -- and Payton seems to have realized. During a press conference on Friday, The Broncos coach said his comments were a mistake.
"I said what I said, and obviously, I needed a little bit more restraint, and I regret that," Payton said.
Payton also said he plans to reach out to Jets coach Robert Saleh and Hackett at some point. He'll need to do it somewhat soon though, since the two teams will be facing each other in Week 5.
