Field Level Media
28 Jan 2022, 05:25 GMT+10
Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett has been hired as head coach of the Denver Broncos, officially filling the first of nine such vacancies around the NFL.
Hackett agreed to join the Broncos late Wednesday night, and the team and coach finalized a contract Thursday. Per multiple reports, Hackett scratched a second interview with the Jacksonville Jaguars after it become clear he was a match with Denver, where Vic Fangio was fired by general manager George Paton.
Hackett, 42, just completed his third season as Packers' offensive coordinator after holding the same position with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2016-18) and Buffalo Bills (2013-14).
Hackett is a first-time head coach but was a popular target in the current NFL interview cycle. He's also unequivocally endorsed by Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
"What he did in Jacksonville, I think, was pure magic," Rodgers said this week in an interview with Pat McAfee. "Getting them within a quarter of the Super Bowl. He's a great coach. I love spending time with him. He's a fantastic teacher. He's incredible in front of the room."
Rodgers said this about Hackett's head coaching prospects in November 2020:
"I hope he doesn't go anywhere ... unless I do."
Paton was one of the general managers to check in on the availability of Rodgers in April 2021, when the divide between the front office and Green Bay's quarterback became public.
Rodgers said this week he plans to determine the next steps in his career before the start of free agency. Among the options are retirement, returning to the Packers or demanding a trade.
Hackett, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell were the finalists for the Broncos' job after they fired Fangio.
Fangio, 63, posted a 19-30 record with the Broncos. He had never been a head coach until the Broncos hired him.
Hackett is the son of former NFL offensive coordinator and college coach Paul Hackett, who served as head coach of Pitt and Southern California.
--Field Level MediaGet a daily dose of Los Angeles Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Los Angeles Herald.
More InformationMADRID, Spain: Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota and his younger brother, André Silva, have died in a car accident in Spain. Spanish...
LONDON, U.K.: An unrelenting heatwave sweeping across Europe has pushed early summer temperatures to historic highs, triggering deadly...
President Donald Trump's plans to build a space-based Golden Dome missile defense shield have drawn immediate criticism from China,...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Paramount has agreed to pay US$16 million to settle a lawsuit brought by U.S. President Donald Trump over...
LONDON, U.K.: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer won a vote in Parliament this week to move ahead with changes to the country's welfare...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday. President...
SANTA CLARA, California: Nvidia came within a whisker of making financial history on July 3, briefly surpassing Apple's all-time market...
SACRAMENTO, California: California's multibillion-dollar farms are facing a growing crisis—not from drought or pests, but from a sudden...
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Grammarly is doubling down on AI-powered productivity tools with the acquisition of Superhuman, a sleek...
MENLO PARK, California: Robinhood is giving European investors a new way to tap into America's most prominent tech names — without...
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed Elon Musk's success has been built on government subsidies. Without...
SANTA CLARA, California: Executives at Nvidia have quietly been cashing in on the AI frenzy. According to a report by the Financial...