Nathaniel Hackett Claps Back at Hall-of-Famer Joe Namath

Offensive coordinator supports his quarterback in war of words with Jets' legend

Joe Namath has opinions and so does Nathaniel Hackett. 

Responding to a question about Namath's critical comments, Hackett did not backtrack his support of current starter Zach Wilson. 

"Joe Namath is a great, great football player. He has every right to his opinion and we have every right to prove him wrong," said the offensive coordinator on Thursday in Florham Park.

Namath, who led the Jets to their lone Super Bowl title in franchise history, blasted Wilson during a special guest appearance on ESPN Radio's The Michael Kay Show.

"I wouldn't keep him. I've seen enough of Zach Wilson," said Namath, the only Jets' quarterback to pass for more than 4,000 yards in a single season.

Hackett suggested that the criticism comes with territory for starting quarterbacks in the National Football League.

"That's the NFL. When things are going good, it's great. When things are going bad, it's bad," said Hackett. "He [Wilson] knows that we support him, that we want him to be great out there."

Namath, however, doesn't believe Wilson has the ability to be great.

"I don’t believe in him. I don’t believe he has a future as a good player," said Namath about the former No. 2 overall draft pick earlier this week.

Like the offensive coordinator, head coach Robert Saleh has also expressed his disagreement with Namath's comments.

"Obviously, Joe is an icon, a Hall of Famer," said Saleh on Wednesday. "We’ll agree to disagree with his comments, but he is entitled to those comments." 

Even while defying Namath, Hackett admitted that the offense needs to step up its performance. Hackett, who has a close relationship with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, has taken some criticism for play-calling and personnel deployment thus far in his first season with the Green & White.

"I think, we, as a group on offense, have to do better. It's all of us. I think that we put our entire offense into some really bad situations," said Hackett. "It doesn't matter who's back there at quarterback, who's playing, when you're behind the sticks, when you're third-and-extra-long continuously, it's not going to be good."

Wilson and the Jets have their first opportunity to prove Namath wrong on Sunday Night Football against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. The October 1 primetime affair will mark Gang Green's first SNF appearance since 2011.

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