Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett is in way over his head as a head coach and should be joining an unfortunate club soon. Getting the head coach right in the NFL is one of the most important things for an NFL general manager to do. An example of this is the Jacksonville Jaguars back in 2021.
Urban Meyer was hired to get the most out of Trevor Lawrence, but the complete opposite happened. Lawrence had his moments but largely looked bad. Now, in 2022 with Doug Pederson at the helm, Lawrence looks like a legitimate quarterback. The difference that coaching makes is something that cannot be overstated.
Should the Denver Broncos move on from Nathaniel Hackett at midseason?
For the Denver Broncos, this holds true even with a Hall of Fame quarterback on the roster. Nathaniel Hackett is embarrassing, to say the least. The game-planning and play-calling are below average, and the coaching staff he assembled looks lost and inadequate.
Most head coaches who are in their first year will usually and nearly always get more than one year. Very few head coaches are gone after one season. Since 1994, there have been just 16 head coaches who have got fired after their first season. That number is ridiculously low, especially considering that roughly five head coaches are hired per season.
Not only could Nathaniel Hackett easily join this club, but there’s also an even more exclusive club that takes a VIP to get into. That club is made up of head coaches who don’t even finish their first season as a head coach.
Let me say it again for emphasis: Nathaniel Hackett could easily join a club of a literal handful of men who got fired before their first season was even finished. According to an article on thespun.com, there are just four coaches who are in this club. The data from this club begins with the 1970 merger, so in the 52 years since then, the four men who have not finished their first season are
- Urban Meyer
- Bobby Petrino
- Pete McCulley
- Lou Holtz
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That’s it. In the 52 years since the merger, just four men have gotten the boot during their first season as a head coach in the NFL. Nathaniel Hackett is currently rumbling toward this club at lightning speed. It’s unfortunate and I think a very real situation. If the Broncos win in London on Sunday, he won’t be fired, but a loss against the Jaguars, who are well-coached, could have Hackett out the door.