When the Denver Broncos hired former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett in 2022, it led to heavy speculation that the team would also attempt to trade for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers had spoken glowingly about Hackett in the past, and some pundits speculated that the Broncos hired the coach merely to lure Rodgers to Denver. The Broncos were interested in Rodgers last spring, but the quarterback ultimately decided to remain in Green Bay.
Denver then traded for quarterback Russell Wilson instead. Wilson went on to have the worst season of his career and Hackett was fired after going 4-11 through his first 15 games on the job.
This offseason, the New York Jets hired Hackett as their new offensive coordinator, once again creating speculation that Hackett and Rodgers could reunite after a trade. This time, the speculation proved to be true.
News broke in mid-March that the Jets planned to trade for Rodgers, but a deal did not become official until New York and Green Bay agreed to terms of a trade on Monday.
Here’s a sampling of how Twitter reacted to the Jets hiring Hackett and then landing Rodgers one year after Denver failed to do so.