As it turns out, Nathaniel couldn't hack it.
The Broncos fired rookie coach Nathaniel Hackett before the end of his first season at the helm, after Hackett helped guide the Broncos to a 4-11 record this year.
The firing comes in the wake of the Broncos' blowout loss to the Rams, a 51-14 humiliation on Christmas, sealing Hackett's fate. He's one of just four first-year head coaches to be fired before the end of his first season, joining Urban Meyer (Jacksonville, 2021), Pete McCulley (San Francisco, 1978) and John Whelchel (Washington, 1947).
MORE: A comprehensive timeline of Nathaniel Hackett's coaching blunders
The Broncos released a statement on Monday, confirming the firing of Hackett but reaffirming the job security of GM George Paton:
We have parted ways with Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett.
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) December 26, 2022
A statement from Broncos Owner & CEO Greg Penner: pic.twitter.com/1tWMjHv6em
Hackett was the gift that kept on giving to everyone who isn't a fan of the Broncos. Here's why the team ultimately decided to move on from him.
MORE: Ranking the Broncos' best candidates to replace Nathaniel Hackett
Why did the Broncos fire Nathaniel Hackett?
Even with a top defense, the Broncos were 4-11 and, ultimately, a putrid team. Hackett showcased several deficiencies as a bench boss throughout the year.
Clock and game management
The first major red flag of Hackett's head coaching career came in the first game of his head coaching career.
Hackett, famously, settled for a 64-yard field goal with time expiring rather than go for it with Wilson at the helm. Seattle would take home the win in the effort, and Hackett would second-guess himself in the days that followed.
Throughout the season, Hackett's clock management didn't get much better, nor did his situational football. Constant goal-line shotgun formations, penalties and questionable playcalls all doomed Hackett.
Hackett ultimately hired a game-management coach, which seems, well, like a job the head coach should be doing.
Russell Wilson
Needless to say, Russell Wilson's disastrous season goes hand-in-hand with the firing of Hackett. Ultimately, it's much easier to fire the coach than the quarterback.
While the Broncos were supposedly eyeing Aaron Rodgers prior to the start of the season, the trade for Wilson seemed like a round-peg-square-hole fit with the new head coach. Hackett, who deployed a scheme with West Coast offense principles, was not built for the strengths of Wilson, and it showed throughout the year. Wilson is going to finish with a career low in touchdowns, with just 12 TD passes through 16 weeks, and generally looks like a poor investment. A lot of that can be contributed to Hackett.
MORE: Russell Wilson confronted by heated Mike Purcell during loss
Infighting
The lasting image of Hackett's coaching career may have nothing to do with him, but rather his players.
On Christmas day, a group of Broncos players including offensive lineman Dalton Risner and backup quarterback Brett Rypien were seen arguing and getting a little physical on the sideline. While arguments happen among NFL players, arguments on 4-11 football teams are typically a little emblematic of deep-seated issues.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the sideline fight may have been a sign that Hackett "really lost his team."
Well, now the team has officially lost him.
