The Denver Broncos somehow managed to get out from under the mess that was the Nathaniel Hackett/Russell Wilson era, which actually lasted less than one regular season. Hackett was brought in to be the head coach of the Broncos after a successful stint with the Green Bay Packers.
The initial thought was that hiring Hackett would open up a great chance for the Broncos to swing a trade for Aaron Rodgers, but when that didn't happen, the Broncos pivoted to Russell Wilson. Unfortunately, that was the wrong move, as not only was Wilson on the decline, but Hackett cemented himself as one of the worst head coaching hires of all-time.
Hackett has somehow since landed on his feet and is now the offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals under first-year head coach Mike LaFleur. The Cardinals were one of the last teams in the league to hire a head coach, and it might be the most undesirable situation in the NFL. Well, in a recent media session, LaFleur really let it all out when talking about Hackett, and it should make Broncos fans laugh.
The Denver Broncos learned their lesson with Nathaniel Hackett, but other teams have not...
This almost sounds like he's having to convince people that hiring Hackett as the offensive coordinator isnt't going to be a horrific move:
Mike LaFleur on hiring OC Nathaniel Hackett:
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) February 18, 2026
“He’s been very successful and is very highly thought of, especially in our profession. I wanted him and nobody else. And he’s here.”
(@PHNX_Cardinals)
pic.twitter.com/XmU0nIYsTa
Oddly enough, a couple of weeks before being hired by the Cardinals, the Miami Dolphins brought him on to be the quarterbacks coach, but that didn't last very long. Since getting fired by the Broncos during the 2022 season, Hackett has served as the New York Jets offensive coordinator, a defensive analyst for the Packers, and is now with the Cardinals.
Finishing 4-11 as a head coach, the Broncos 2022 season was dysfunctional from the start, and it was so bad that it might be incredibly difficult for Hackett to land a second head coaching job. Many coaches in the NFL do end up getting a second crack at the head coach spot, but his tenure with Denver may have been too much for other teams to take a chance on.
It also does not help that the Cardinals are likely going to be one of the worst teams in the NFL. Not only do the Cards not have a clear quarterback situation, but they're also in the best division in the NFL, so 2026 could be shaping up to be a total disaster.
Hackett is clearly good enough at what he does to coach in the NFL, but he's not really left much of a mark as a play-caller, and was a total disaster as a head coach. Perhaps all of the experience he's been able to rack up in the NFL will help him out at some point.