The saga between the Denver Broncos, New York Jets, and Nathaniel Hackett continues. It's Week 14 of the 2023 NFL season, and the Jets are on the brink of being eliminated completely from playoff contention. So who are they going to call?
Brett Rypien.
The Denver Broncos originally signed Brett Rypien as an undrafted free agent back in 2019, and he worked his way up from the practice squad to being the team's primary backup quarterback as recently as last season. Rypien actually played in eight games for the Denver Broncos and started three, winning two of his three starts. He showed some impressive stuff at times, even if he had an issue throwing the ball to the other team (9 interceptions and career INT% of 5.4).
Now, it might be up to Rypien to keep the Jets' 2023 season alive. If not that, it might be up to Rypien to go out there and help Nathaniel Hackett keep his job beyond the 2023 season. Everyone knows that Hackett is buddies with Aaron Rodgers, and perhaps that's enough to keep him around anyway, but with the way the Jets' offense has played in Rodgers's absence, Robert Saleh might have to fire Hackett or risk losing his own job.
The Jets benched Zach Wilson, who apparently doesn't want to return to the lineup for the team. How insane is that? It's one of the craziest stories I can recall in recent years. Although Aaron Rodgers has some select words for the rumors going around...
The Jets were just trotting out former Packers backup Tim Boyle, who has now been straight-up cut by the team. That move has left former Denver Broncos Super Bowl champion Trevor Siemian and now Brett Rypien as viable options outside of Zach Wilson.
The #Jets are releasing QB Tim Boyle and are signing veteran QB Brett Rypien off Seattle's practice squad, per @JosinaAnderson. Rypien started a game this season for LA. Boyle started the last two games for the Jets. pic.twitter.com/3SHHZWOLiE
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 5, 2023
In theory, Rypien should be able to step in and start immediately if need be. He obviously knows the Nathaniel Hackett offense and gave the Broncos some decent looks last season when he was inserted into the lineup. It's pretty hilarious that the Jets' season could end with Nathaniel Hackett relying on either Trevor Siemian or Brett Rypien to possibly save his job.
As much drama as we've seen over the last year, it's certainly gotten to the point of being personal between Broncos fans and Nathaniel Hackett/the Jets/Jets fans. People took major issue with the way Sean Payton brutally assessed the coaching job done in Denver last year, and they were quick to publicly come after him when things didn't go so well for the Broncos over the first six weeks of the season.
Well, as the year has progressed, it appears as though Sean Payton was 100 percent right in everything he said, harsh or not.
Broncos fans will now be living in an interesting tension of hopefully rooting for either Trevor Siemian or Brett Rypien to have individual success while also still hoping the New York Jets and Nathaniel Hackett crash and burn.