Nathaniel Hackett has cemented his place as arguably the worst head coach in Denver Broncos history, a title previously held by Josh McDaniels. It seemed unthinkable that anyone could dethrone McDaniels in this regard, yet Hackett managed to do just that.
Hackett’s tenure was so disastrous that he was one of the few NFL head coaches to be fired before completing his first season. The Walton-Penner Ownership Group was deeply embarrassed by the 2022 Broncos, leading to harsh criticism from Sean Payton, the team’s current head coach, in a candid interview before the 2023 season.
Payton’s remarks fueled the New York Jets during the early stages of the 2023 season, but the early high from beating the Broncos soon evaporated. Now, the Jets are facing their own struggles, with Hackett again at the center of controversy.
Recently, the Jets parted ways with head coach Robert Saleh, who had been with the team since 2021. Despite building strong defenses, the Jets continued to falter offensively, both with Zach Wilson and Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. The common thread in these struggles? Hackett. As a result, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich’s first move was to demote Hackett and transfer play-calling duties to Todd Downing.
Aaron Rodgers has dismissed the idea that he holds as much sway as many believe, yet questions remain as to why Hackett wasn’t dismissed along with Saleh. What has Hackett done in recent years to justify his place on an NFL coaching staff? His continued presence seems more like an attempt by Rodgers to help a friend than a strategic decision for the team.
This turn of events underscores Sean Payton’s earlier criticisms and raises doubts about Hackett’s past success with Rodgers and the Packers. Perhaps Hackett was crucial to holding that team together, but even Rodgers seems to recognize that changes are needed. Rodgers has publicly supported Ulbrich’s decisions, including Hackett’s demotion. It will be interesting to see how the situation in New York unfolds as the season progresses.
