Nathaniel Hackett fired as Broncos coach; Jerry Rosburg named interim

Dec. 26—DENVER — Nathaniel Hackett didn't make it a year in Denver.

The Broncos head coach was fired on Monday following Denver's worst loss of the season Sunday in Los Angeles — a 51-14 loss to the Rams. Special teams coach Dwayne Stukes and offensive line coach Butch Barry were also fired on Monday.

Hackett, who was hired in January, lasted only 15 games, posting a 4-11 record. But Sunday's loss was the tipping point, as the Broncos were not only embarrassed on the field, but off it with teammates fighting each other and edge rusher Randy Gregory throwing a punch postgame. It was clear Hackett had lost control of his team, which sparked the decision by team owner and CEO Greg Penner.

"I want to thank Nathaniel Hackett for his dedication as head coach of the Denver Broncos. We sincerely appreciate Nathaniel's efforts and wish him and his family all the best in the future," Penner said in a statement. "Following extensive conversations with George and our ownership group, we determined a new direction would ultimately be in the best interest of the Broncos. This change was made now out of respect for everyone involved and allows us to immediately begin the search for a new head coach."

Senior assistant coach Jerry Rosburg was named the interim head coach for Denver's final two games against the Chiefs and Chargers. Rosburg was hired by Hackett in September to help Hackett with clock management. Sources told The Denver Gazette the interim position was originally offered to defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who turned down the title and opted instead to focus on the defense. Evero is likely to be considered for several head coach opening, including with the Broncos.

As for Hackett, he becomes the first coach in franchise history not to make it through one season as the head coach. And he's the 19th head coach to be fired or resign during or after his first season in the NFL since 1994. He is only the fourth head coach to be fired during his first season, joining Urban Meyer in Jacksonville (2021), Pete McCulley in San Francisco (1978) and John Whelchel in Washington (1949).

Hackett's main downfall in Denver was a failure to spark the Broncos offense, which is currently ranked as the worst in the league in several categories including points per game at 15.5. That's their lowest mark since 1971 when they averaged 14.5 points per game. Previously the Packers offensive coordinator from 2019-21, Hackett was specifically hired to help the Broncos score more points, which has been an issue since winning Super Bowl 50 in 2015-16. The first-year head coach not only failed to do that, but did so at an unprecedented level.

Hackett also proved he just wasn't ready for a head coaching gig. It was clear from Week 1, when he opted to kick a 64-yard field goal and misused used his timeouts, his game management wasn't something he had ever done before. And it was more than clear on Sunday when his team completely imploded on and off the field. When Hackett was hired, many expected him to be able to handle a locker room because of his charismatic and energetic personality. But by season's end, his player-friendly mentality didn't click and it was obvious the locker room was lost.

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But Hackett's firing isn't all his fault. The Broncos' issues go far beyond his failures.

The Broncos currently lead the league in players that have been placed on the injured reserve this season at 25. And maybe the Broncos' biggest problem, quarterback Russell Wilson, who the Broncos traded for in March, has certainly not played up to expectations. He's statistically having the worst season of his career, throwing only 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions. And the issue with Wilson is that Denver is tied to him long-term, which will certainly play a role in the upcoming coaching search.

But even beyond this season, the Broncos have had a culture problem since winning Super Bowl 50 in 2016. They have missed the playoffs all seven seasons since, which is the longest drought in NFL history by a team following a Super Bowl win. Six of those seasons were losing seasons. And the Broncos are now about to hire their fifth coach in eight years.

GM George Paton led the coaching search last year and landed on Hackett after interviewing 10 different candidates. This time, Penner will lead the search with Paton's assistance. And it's expected they will look for a coach that has previous head coach experience — Denver's previous three head coaches were first-time head coaches — and a coach who has plan to help Wilson return to his prior form. Currently, former Saints head coach Sean Payton and Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn are the odds on favorites to land the job. Quinn was one of three finalists last year and previously coached Wilson in Seattle.

Because the Broncos fired Hackett Monday, they can now start their head coaching search with two weeks remaining in the season.

"I will lead our head coaching search with support from our ownership group and George, whom I have confidence in as our general manager," Penner said. "As we begin the process of selecting our next head coach, we remain focused on playing competitive football to finish the season on a positive note."

Penner likely never imagined he would be in this situation when he and the Walton-Penner ownership group purchased the team in August. But now he's been given the job of cleaning up this mess. And he has to get it right.

Because have fallen short of expectations for far too long. And a large part of that has been missing on three-straight head coaching hires.

"We recognize and appreciate this organization's championship history, and we understand we have not met that standard," Penner said. "Our fans deserve much better, and I can't say enough about their loyalty during such a challenging stretch for our team. Moving forward, we will carefully evaluate every aspect of our football operations and make whatever changes are necessary to restore this franchise's winning tradition."

Penner and Paton will speak with the media Tuesday at 10 a.m. Follow The Denver Gazette for all your Broncos coverage.