The Denver Broncos are in search of their new head coach after firing Vic Fangio. Denver finished the season in fourth place in the AFC West at 7-10, missing the playoffs for the sixth time in a row. Fangio's tenure with the team was especially disappointing, as they went 19-30 and never had a winning season.
Denver's roster has some young talent with bright futures, but realizing it starts with picking the right head coach. Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett has been a hot commodity among coaching candidates. Multiple teams, including the Broncos, have interviewed him for the job.
Here are three reasons the Denver Broncos must hire Nathaniel Hackett as their next head coach after firing Vic Fangio.
3. Hackett has experience with a top-tier quarterback
The Broncos have struggled to find their franchise quarterback since Peyton Manning retired in 2016. While Hackett won't be making the decisions at quarterback, he has experience coaching future Hall-of-Famer Aaron Rodgers. He knows what a top-tier quarterback looks like and could help develop a young signal-caller or improve a veteran.
It may be a slim chance, but if Rodgers decided to leave the Packers, the Broncos have been linked to trading for him. Hackett being the head coach could entice Rodgers to make Denver his preferred destination.
This week, Rodgers commented on Hackett's opportunities to become a head coach on the Pat McAfee Show.
“This is a little overdue, to be honest,” Rodgers said of Hackett. “He's been around the game a long time. What he did in Jacksonville, I think, was pure magic, getting them within a quarter of the Super Bowl. He's a great coach. I love spending time with him. He's a fantastic teacher. He's incredible in front of the room.”
Hackett's ability to lead would make the Broncos' quarterback room much better, no matter who is starting under center come kickoff of 2022.
2. Hackett can keep up with elite teams in AFC West
The Broncos are in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL, as evidenced again this season.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders made the playoffs, while the Los Angeles Chargers came up just short. Hackett's playoff experience with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Packers would help him in big divisional games to lead Denver to the postseason. He could lead a prolific offense to keep up with Andy Reid's explosive offense in Kansas City. Denver will also have to match up with Justin Herbert and the Chargers and Derek Carr and the Raiders.
The Broncos struggled against division opponents this season, coming away with just one victory. Having a great offensive mind at the helm would help them stay competitive in these games and keep up with the fast-paced offenses.
1. Broncos need an offensive-minded coach
Hiring Fangio, who rose to prominence as a defensive coordinator, turned out to be a terrible decision as Denver's offense consistently struggled. While the quarterback situation didn't help, production from the offense was atrocious all-around. Bringing in Hackett would help the Broncos formulate a great offensive scheme to build around their young, talented players. From there, they just need to plug in a quarterback to take the reins and run with them.
Scowering the quarterback market will be the top priority for Denver following their decision at head coach. The Broncos aren't far from being a playoff team, and bringing in Hackett would get them closer. While they have multiple candidates lined up to replace Fangio, Hackett is the right hire for the Broncos.
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