There’s no reason to worry about Nathaniel Hackett’s personality

After six-straight seasons out of the playoffs and five-straight miserable years below .500, the Denver Broncos have re-energized their fan base. In the past week, we have seen the Broncos release their schedule with a fun video involving the trio of Hall of Fame quarterbacks Peyton Manning, Russell Wilson and John Elway, with a cameo from new head coach Nathaniel Hackett.

In another post on social media this week, Broncos players were seen bowling. Hackett was there having a great time with his squad.

Hackett is unlike any head coach we’ve seen in Denver. He’s excitable, positive and it appears connecting with his players on a personal level is important to him.

Some people have wondered if players can take Hackett seriously with his over-the-top enthusiasm and willingness to be goofy at times.

The answer is yes, they can take him seriously. How Hackett acts in a social media video (filmed in May) or at a bowling alley has nothing to do with his ability to motivate players.

Ignore Hackett’s exuberance towards just about every situation. That’s just his personality. What makes Hackett perfect for the Broncos is that he understands it’s about the players. Hackett is aware that without the talent on the field, he can’t win.

Nathaniel Hackett is exactly what the Broncos needed. Broncos Country just went through three seasons of Vic Fangio.

Under Fangio, the Broncos turned in uninspired performances and late-game collapses. Fangio was always quick to toss blame to the players he was supposed to lead, but was patting himself on the back after victories.

Fangio’s blame-game style of coaching got the Broncos nowhere. A good leader assesses what went wrong and what they can do to not allow it to happen again. A bad leader points the finger.

More than a decade ago, Josh McDaniels believed he could run a star quarterback out of town and still win. The result was McDaniels lasting less than two seasons in Denver.

The two most-arrogant coaches the Broncos have had in the past 20 years just so happen to be the two least successful coaches the Broncos have had in the past 20 years.

There have been questions if Hackett and quarterback Russell Wilson have too close of a relationship. Who cares if they do?

Wilson and Pete Carroll were not on the same page and Wilson left Seattle. The Brady-Belichick relationship fractured and now the Patriots head into year three of watching their all-time best player succeed elsewhere.

John Elway and Dan Reeves had a rocky relationship and ultimately Reeves was fired from the organization. In the end, a quarterback and head coach that get along will be better than the alternative.

Bill Belichick doesn’t look so hot without Tom Brady and Mike Shanahan won one playoff game without John Elway. It’s pretty clear who makes who look good. Instead of flexing a big ego and resisting, Hackett embraces that opportunity to work with his star quarterback.

The Broncos are in the midst of a cultural shift and can’t have any semblance of the last three seasons. Hackett is the antithesis of Vic Fangio. The Fangio-led Broncos were slow and boring, and the Hackett Broncos are excited and full of energy.

Many have wondered if Hackett’s demeanor will change if the Broncos go on a losing streak. That remains to be seen and he’ll have to prove himself when that time comes. It’s on Hackett to put his players in the best position to win. As of now, there’s no evidence that Hackett’s approach won’t work.

There has been a cloud of negativity around the Broncos for some time. With Hackett and Wilson leading the way, that cloud has dissipated. Creating camaraderie with his players will only help to serve Hackett in his first head coaching job.

We don’t know if Hackett’s collaborative and friendly personality will lead to success. What we do know is being stubborn and egotistical towards your players leads to losses, just ask Josh McDaniels and Vic Fangio.

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