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Speculation of a potential trade that would send Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets grew after the team hired Nathaniel Hackett as its offensive coordinator on Thursday (January 26).
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter had previously reported that the Jets were "a very real scenario" in a possible trade for Rodgers prior to hiring Hackett, who had previously coached the quarterback for three seasons from 2019 to 2021, which included Rodgers leading the NFL's top scoring offense during the first of two consecutive Associated Press Most Valuable Player award-winning seasons in 2020.
Those odds seemingly grew with the addition of the former Denver Broncos head coach, who was hired for that position amid reports of the franchise's reported interest in trading for Rodgers at the time.
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Rodgers had publicly praised Hackett after he was hired away from Green Bay last offseason.
"He's a great coach," Rodgers said during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show last January. "I love spending time with him. He's a fantastic teacher. He's incredible in front of the room."
Hackett was fired by the Broncos after his lone season with the franchise, which resulted in a 5-12 overall record, but was regarded as a rising offensive coach heading into the last offseason. The 43-year-old had previously worked as the offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills (2013-14), Jacksonville Jaguars (2016-18) -- having also served as the team's quarterbacks coach (2015-16) -- before joining the Green Bay Packers in 2019.
The Broncos, however, ranked last among all 32 NFL teams in scoring offense with an average of 16.9 points per game as quarterback Russell Wilson, who was acquired in a blockbuster offseason trade, struggled during his first season in Denver.