As a self-appointed scholar of what “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL” looked like for Nathaniel Hackett and the Denver Broncos in 2022, Sean Payton didn’t need to be told where Sunday’s tectonic debacle ranked. But he was reminded anyway, because this is how it works in the NFL. It’s a contact sport. If you throw hands (or words) off the field, you’re liable to get paid back on it, especially in a league that thrives on scoreboard karma.
Payton’s comeuppance arrived fast this season, following Sunday’s 70-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins.