On Thursday, players and coaches from both the Denver Broncos and New York Jets took turns taking shots at one another and I, for one, am here for it.
The Broncos and Jets are two AFC teams that play on completely opposite sides of the country and though they have both been around since the AFL days, have never had much of a rivalry.
The Broncos lead the all-time series 22-17-1 but the two teams have never really had any classic battles and of all the teams in the AFC, the Jets are one of the least common opponents when you think of Broncos rivals.
But that could soon be changing.
These two teams are set to face off at Empower Field in Week 5 on Sunday, October 8. Though that is still over two months away, each team fired off some opening silos on Thursday, which allows us to explore some things that could turn this into a fun rivalry for fans of both teams to get amped up for.
Potential Broncos-Jets rivalry: These were fighting words
When addressing the media on Thursday, Broncos coach Sean Payton made some statements that you just don't see made publicly all that often.
Payton blasted the way the team was handled last season, from the coaching job done by Nathaniel Hackett down to what was allowed in the training room. Broncos fans should be thrilled about what he said, because it shows that the team is going to be so much different this season.
Of course, public relations within the Broncos' organization may not have been too thrilled.
Of course, these comments prompted a response from the Jets, including this from head coach Robert Saleh.
#Jets HC Robert Saleh took the high road when asked about Sean Payton's comments:
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 27, 2023
"If you ain't got no haters, you ain't popping. So hate away. Obviously we’re doing something right if you’ve gotta talk about us when we don’t play you until Week 5."
pic.twitter.com/xZazBAlhwP https://t.co/AS5m3UZyBu
But it didn't stop there. Billy Turner, who currently plays for the Jets and had two separate stints with the Broncos, had some harsh words for Payton as well.
This is the kind of stuff you don't often see in professional sports. Trash talk is what often builds a big fight in the UFC or a match in the WWE. Some people aren't a fan of that sort of thing, but it's what gets more people to tune in, guaranteed.
Someone is going to have to eat their words.
Potential Broncos-Jets rivalry: The Aaron Rodgers connection
Aaron Rodgers was finally traded away from the Green Bay Packers this offseason after years of speculation, but it was the Jets that obtained him.
Last season, before the Broncos acquired Russell Wilson, they wanted Rodgers to be their quarterback. I will never be convinced that was not the reason why Hackett was hired as the head coach.
That plan didn't work out and Rodgers stayed in Green Bay. Now, he is with the Jets, the same team that Brett Favre went to after his legendary Packers career, coincidentally.
But this is a great storyline.
Would the Broncos have been as bad as they were last season if the quarterback was Rodgers and not Wilson? It's certainly debatable, but it also seems like Rodgers might not be the same player he once was as he failed to get the Packers into the postseason last year.
Rodgers is now 39 years old. He hasn't played in Denver since November 2015, where he had one of the worst games in his Packers career. It will be interesting to see how he fares this time.
Potential Broncos-Jets rivalry: Two teams looking to become contenders
Looking at the overall landscape of the AFC, these are two teams that have not been at the top for some time. In fact, these two teams hold the current longest playoff droughts in the NFL.
The AFC is loaded at the top with the Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills and other teams such as the Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers are pushing for that level.
Plus, the New England Patriots dominated the AFC for such a long time that some fresh faces are needed, and these two teams could provide that.
The Jets are expected to be a contender by most this season, mostly because of the addition of Rodgers and the fact that they weren't a bad team last season. The Broncos have Payton, one of the best coaches of the last two decades, and are expected by most to turn the ship in the other direction very soon.
These are two teams to keep an eye on this season and their Week 5 clash, and perhaps subsequent battles, will be must see TV.