Getty Former Green Bay Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett has been fired by the Denver Broncos.
The Green Bay Packers lost a handful of their assistant coaches this past offseason, but one of the team’s former assistants has already lost their head coaching opportunity out west.
Former Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett left this past offseason after being offered the head coaching position with the Denver Broncos. Hackett brought other Green Bay assistants with him, including Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.
Unfortunately, things haven’t gone well for Hackett and the Broncos, despite trading for star quarterback Russell Wilson over the offseason. Denver has gone just 4-11, most recently suffering a blowout loss to the struggling Los Angeles Rams in a 51-14 defeat.
That loss was the final straw for the Broncos organization, with the team announcing that it had fired Hackett before his first NFL season even ended. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted an official statement from the team following the firing.
Statement from Broncos on firing of HC Nathaniel Hackett:
“Following extensive conversations with George and our ownership group, we determined a new direction would ultimately be in the best interest of the Broncos,” the statement said. “This change was made now out of respect for everyone involved and allows us to immediately begin the search for a new head coach.”
The Broncos will now begin their head coaching search, while Hackett will be searching for another opportunity to keep coaching somewhere in the NFL.
Nathaniel Hackett’s Coaching Career
After finally getting a head coach opportunity at the NFL level, it might be a while before Hackett gets another opportunity to run a pro team.
Hackett got his coaching career started as UC Davis in 2003, serving as an assistant linebackers coach for the program. He quickly moved up the college coaching ranks, spending a few years in Stanford as an assistant and recruiting coordinator before landing his first NFL gig.
In 2006, Hackett landed his first NFL role as an offensive quality control coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since then, he’s bounced around the league with multiple teams with a brief stint back in the college landscape with three seasons at Syracuse. He’s served as an offensive coordinator for three different NFL teams, working for the Bills, Jaguars, and most recently the Packers from 2019 through 2021.
Hackett became a hot head coaching candidate after Green Bay’s offensive production during his time as offensive coordinator. The Packers led the league in scoring in 2020, while Hackett played a key role in Aaron Rodgers’ resurgence, winning back-to-back MVP awards.
It was expected that Hackett could do the same in Denver, but after such a disappointing start to the year, the Broncos decided to move in a different direction.
Latest Packers News
While the Broncos are reeling, the Packers have been able to keep their hopes alive with a big win over the Miami Dolphins on Christmas Day.
All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander went viral following the win with a hilarious postgame interview with FOX’s Pam Oliver. His reactions and description of his interception in the game encapsulated how the team was feeling after pulling off a major upset win.
Prior to the game, the Packers were able to secure Pro Bowl offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins’ services for the next few years. Instead of letting Jenkins walk in free agency, the Packers signed the former second-round pick to a four-year, $68 million contract extension.
With a potential playoff spot still in sight, expect the Packers to stay busy as they prepare for their final two regular season games against the Vikings and Lions.