Nathaniel Hackett is the right guy, right now, to lead the Broncos
Jan 28, 2022, 6:47 AM
The Denver Broncos hired former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as their new head coach on Thursday. It was a bold move by Broncos general manager George Paton as Hackett has never been a head coach in the NFL. What he lacks in experience, Hackett makes up for in many numbers of ways.
OFFICIAL: We’ve agreed to terms with Nathaniel Hackett to be our next head coach. 😎
📰 » https://t.co/JLNtu4HRHy pic.twitter.com/fsadmbJAeP
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 27, 2022
After the debacle that was the Vic Fangio era, the Broncos are hoping this is a change for the better. Hackett was my favorite head coaching candidate because I felt they needed an upgrade on offense, and Hackett will bring that to the field. We don’t know yet who is going to be the quarterback, but Hackett has been known to get the most out of the talent he works with.
The Broncos have more talent than some think. With an upgrade at quarterback and better coaching on offense, the Broncos could get back in the playoff picture under Hackett in 2022. In fact, with the right quarterback (Aaron Rodgers?) the Broncos could shock some and get into the Super Bowl mix. Hackett certainly gives Broncos Country hope for the now – but he also should give fans a hope for the future.
I firmly believe that Hackett is the right guy for the job – right now and in the future. Why do I feel so strongly? Let’s take a look.
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Players Love Him
It’s a good sign when so many players give a coach a public endorsement. Yes, during a press conference players are going to say good things about a coach. However, on their social networking platforms, they can be a bit more sincere.
Rodgers has gone out of his way multiple times to profess his love for playing for Hackett. In fact, there was an interview during the season where Rodgers smirked while saying that he doesn’t want Hackett to leave – unless he goes with him. There is no doubt that Rodgers’ relationship with the team fell apart – but that’s the front office and not the coaching staff.
When the announcement was made on Thursday, Packers players like Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, A.J. Dillon and more went to Twitter to give their favorite coach a sendoff via social media. Anyone around the Packers organization can tell you that players love playing for Hackett.
Congratulations to coach Hackett and his family! Truly an amazing coach 🤝 https://t.co/an2yTRqFwj
— AJ “The Sauce” Dillon (@ajdillon7) January 27, 2022
Hackett has earned the respect of the players he’s worked with. That’s something that should carry forward immediately with the Broncos. I feel the Broncos players respected Fangio, but I can’t say many if any of the players loved him or loved playing for him. I could be wrong but that’s the feeling I got from the Fangio Broncos in three seasons.
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Energy Boost
Hackett is known for energetic meetings that get the players engaged in what he’s preparing them for during the week of practice. He makes football fun, and he has fun coaching players on the practice field. He’s a quirky guy who will use Star Wars references for play calls, and Hackett has a fascinating background.
A coach’s son, legendary coach Paul Hackett was his father, the younger Hackett grew up around football. He was a ball boy with the Kansas City Chiefs when his dad was running the West Coast Offense. He soon began long-snapping on the practice field just to be more involved.
He’s never been afraid of work, dating back to his time working at McDonalds as a teenager while his dad was a coach. Hackett is brilliant and majored in neurobiology during his time in college at Stanford. He has a flair for the dramatic because he used to be a hip-hop dance instructor, and Hackett will bring an energy to the field and perhaps even bust out some moves from time to time.
There’s more personality from Nathaniel Hackett in this 99-second video than Broncos Country got from Vic Fangio in three years pic.twitter.com/i7UiQ3jHZP
— Richie Carni (@RichieCarni) January 27, 2022
I can’t wait to see Hackett at work on the practice field. It’s going to be a fun experience just watching him coach and hearing him motivate his players. I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like to play for this guy. Hackett brings an energy boost to this team that is much needed after the doldrums of the Fangio era.
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Teacher Says
It was hammered home early and often by Paton that he was looking for leadership first and foremost in any coaching candidate. Paton said that in press conferences and interviews before the search began to replace Fangio. When the team announced Hackett had been officially hired as their head coach, it took all of four words before the word “leader” was brought up in the release.
Hackett is a leader because he has the respect/love of the players. He brings energy to the field, and he makes football fun. In addition to those traits, Hackett is a great teacher. There are plenty of coaches in the NFL, but the best coaches are the best teachers.
From players I’ve talked to that worked under Hackett in both Jacksonville and Green Bay, Hackett knows how to identify what a player needs to improve, and he’ll work to get problems solved. Hackett also understands that different people learn in different ways. He doesn’t have a “one size fits all” approach when it comes to coaching. Instead, Hackett works diligently to understand what motivates players and he’ll push the right buttons to get the most out of them.
“Nathaniel Hackett is a dynamic leader and coach whose intelligence, innovation and charisma impressed us from the very start of this process.” – #Broncos GM George Paton pic.twitter.com/ics4vkdhHG
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 27, 2022
Hackett has the mindset of a teacher with the knowledge of a coach and the enthusiasm of a player. That’s a great combination – and a rare combination – for the Broncos new head coach. Part of being a great teacher is being a great leader.
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