Prior to the official firing of former Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett in late December, the writing was on the wall that he would not make it through his first season in Denver. Broncos players apparently were well aware, too.
And at least one player reached out to the coach who he hoped soon would take over: Sean Payton.
During an extensive feature story on Russell Wilson's season in Denver, The Athletic dug up a recent interview in which Payton said Broncos running back Latavius Murray texted him about potentially coaching at Mile High in the future.
Murray, according to Payton, texted the coach just a couple of days before the Broncos were embarrassed by Baker Mayfield and the Los Angeles Rams on Christmas Day. That loss ultimately led to Hackett losing his job the next day.
"Hey, my backfield teammate and I hope you come to Denver," Payton said on the "Pat McAfee Show" while recalling Murray's text. "And I'm thinking 'Well, backfield teammate?' I'm trying to look up who the other running back is."
When Payton questioned who Murray was referring to, Murray referenced Wilson by number: "No. 3."
Murray and Wilson spoke the hiring into existence as the Broncos traded the New Orleans Saints for Payton's rights and made him head coach one month later. Hackett has since landed with the New York Jets as the team's offensive coordinator, but it nevertheless paints a brutal picture of how he was regarded in Denver.
