AFC Notes: Aaron Rodgers, Nathaniel Hackett, Bills, Jets, Texans

Bills

Bills HC Sean McDermott is looking forward to getting his hands dirty with the team after taking defensive coordinator duties back over.

“I love it, honestly,” McDermott said, via Bills Wire. “It feels good to be back with the guys. As a head coach, we coach but we don’t coach. A lot of the time is spent on things outside of coaching. It feels really good to be back in the weeds.”

Jets

Jets QB Aaron Rodgers is excited to work with OC Nathaniel Hackett once again and praised the coach for the energy he brings to their locker room. 

“I love Nate so much,” Rodgers said, via the team’s official Twitter. “He’s so fun to work with. He has the ability to bring the same type of crazy energy everyday without any stimulants. I don’t think he drinks any coffee, but he’s just the same energetic guy every single day. He’s got a great way of teaching where it is interactive and him and I have spent a lot of time after hours just going back through certain concepts that we like, re-naming a few things, subtle adjustments we might have done that he forgot about and then re-introducing some new concepts that he’s brought back at other places he’s been.”

Rodgers mentioned Hackett’s experience as a play-caller and the knowledge he gained from his father, former college coach and NFL assistant Paul Hackett, and former Raiders HC Jon Gruden. 

“He called plays in Jacksonville and Buffalo and obviously worked with not just his dad (Paul Hackett), but Jon Gruden and some great coaches around the League, so it’s a conglomeration with all of the different things with it based on a west coast offense, so him and I have commonality with the language and stuff, so it’s been great. I love him so much.”

Texans

Texans HC DeMeco Ryans is expecting the team’s offensive line to be one of its strengths.

“We have a really good offensive line group,” Ryans said, via Texans Wire. “Veteran guys mixed in with some young guys. Right now expect our O-line to be one of the strengths of our team.”

Ryans credited OL coach Chris Strausser and assistant OL coach Cole Popovich for helping prepare the team’s group.

“Those guys have done an outstanding job of getting the guys ready to play, being honed in on the details. Our offensive line, they’ve been impressive to watch over these few practices that we’ve had,” Ryans added.