The only slightly surprising thing about the Denver Broncos firing Nathaniel Hackett is that they didn’t wait until the offseason.
Denver relieved the first-year head coach of his duties Monday, as first reported by NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero. The move comes just 15 games into Hackett’s first year on the job with the Broncos.
“We determined a new direction would ultimately be in the best interest of the Broncos,” owner and CEO Greg Penner said in a statement released by the team. “This change was made now out of respect for everyone involved and allows us immediately to begin the search for a new head coach.”
Hackett’s performance certainly justifies the action. The Broncos have been a complete mess under the former Packers offensive coordinator. The season began with myriad clock and game management miscues, and while some of that has been straightened out, it has become increasingly clear there’s dysfunction with the team.
Denver hit yet another low point Sunday, dropping to 4-11 after losing 51-14 to a similarly hapless Los Angeles Rams team. LA came in with an identical 4-10 record but pasted the Broncos with Baker Mayfield under center. Adding insult to injury was a sideline skirmish during the Christmas Day game in Los Angeles. Backup quarterback Brett Rypien got into it with members of the offensive line after a sack of quarterback Russell Wilson. Offensive lineman Dalton Risner was even seen on video shoving Rypien before teammates intervened.
Hackett never felt like a great fit in Denver. It always felt like Hackett was hired in part to lure Aaron Rodgers from Green Bay as the four-time MVP was feuding with the Packers. Green Bay eventually ironed that out in the way of a massive extension for Rodgers, and that ship sailed. Denver then pivoted to Wilson, parting with a haul to acquire him from Seattle.
Wilson hasn’t looked right all season, especially as the injuries mounted around him. We’ll soon learn just how much of that had to do with playing for Hackett, but if Wilson stinks under a new head coach, too, then the Broncos will face an even bigger problem.
