Craig Carton boldly predicts Sean Payton to get fired by Denver Broncos

Sports media personality Craig Carton reckons the Denver Broncos’ fate under Sean Payton wouldn’t improve. The die-hard New York Jets fan has predicted that it wouldn’t be long before the franchise terminates Payton’s employment.

Carton said on his eponymous show:

“I now dislike the Denver Broncos because of Sean Payton, who might be a great guy. And when he gets fired in two years, comes back to Fox. We'll all love him again.”

“But right now, at the moment, I actively root for the Denver Broncos to stink. Yeah, last place stink. I hope the Raiders are better than the Denver Broncos. The Denver Broncos can't lose enough now that he came after my squad.”

Carton expressed his thoughts after Sean Payton criticized Hackett’s coaching for the Broncos last season. In a USA Today interview, Payton said that what Hackett did with the 2022 Broncos is one of the worst coaching jobs in NFL history.

The Broncos fired Hackett after 15 games, winning only four. Denver finished with an AFC West-worst 5-12 record. Despite having All-Pro quarterback Russell Wilson, the Broncos finished last in points per game (16.9).

However, the one-time Super Bowl champion criticized the New York Jets, Hackett’s current employer. His statement led coach Robert Saleh and quarterback Aaron Rodgers to defend the current Jets offensive coordinator.

In an interview with FanDuel TV’s Kay Adams, Rodgers said about Sean Payton’s statements on Hackett:

“I still got a lot more to say. I don't need to. I said that's what I said. I stand by everything that I said. But there's a way of handling things and probably a way not to. Sometimes, you say something really stupid, it warrants an apology. Sometimes, you don't apologize.”

"Sometimes you say something stupid and need to apologize.”

@AaronRodgers12 says he has plenty more to say about Sean Payton’s comments.

📺: @FanDuelTV | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/bkhxZtORkU

Meanwhile, Saleh addressed the issue in a press conference, saying they must be doing something right to merit Payton’s attention.

Payton has apologized for his statements on Hackett, saying he delivered them while wearing his analyst hat. He worked for Fox Sports after stepping down as New Orleans Saints head coach.

The Denver Broncos and the New York Jets play in Week 5 at Empower Field at Mile High.

Broncos hope Sean Payton can turn things around

The Denver Broncos last made the playoffs in 2015, the year they won Super Bowl 50 with quarterback Peyton Manning. Since then, they’ve had only one winning season. Hiring Hackett, Vance Joseph and Vic Fangio didn’t work.

This time, the Broncos hope Sean Payton can bring the success he had at New Orleans to Denver. Aside from winning Super Bowl XLIV, he led them to nine playoff appearances. Before he arrived, the Saints made the playoffs only five times between 1967 to 2005.

The Saints also had nine double-digit victory seasons under Payton, the last coming in 2020 (12-4).