Nathaniel Hackett’s disappointing season in Denver has come to an end.
The Broncos fired the first-year head coach on Monday, according to a statement from team owner and CEO Greg Penner.
“Following extensive conversations with (general manager) George (Paton) and our ownership group, we determined a new direction would ultimately be in the best interest of the Broncos," Penner said in a statement. "This change was made now out of respect for everyone involved and allows us to immediately begin the search for a new head coach.
“We recognize and appreciate this organization’s championship history, and we understand we have not met that standard."
In his place, the Broncos have appointed senior assistant Jerry Rosburg as the team's interim coach for the final two games of the season, a person with knowledge of the move confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
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Two weeks into the 2022 season, Hackett had hired Rosburg out of retirement to assist with Denver's game clock and game management situations. Rosburg has two decades of coaching experience in the NFL and had been one of the trusted assistants for John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens.
Hackett leaves Denver with a 4-11 record after a 51-14 beatdown by the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
The Broncos hired Hackett in January to be the franchise’s 18th head coach after he served three seasons (2019-2021) in Green Bay as the Packers' offensive coordinator. Hackett also held OC jobs in Jacksonville (2016–2018) and Buffalo (2013–2014).
Despite Hackett’s experience as an offensive coordinator, he was ineffective at jumpstarting the Broncos offense. In his lone season in Denver, Hackett had some clock management and game management issues as well as an underperforming offense. The Broncos had the worst scoring offense in the NFL under Hackett, who also handed off play-calling duties in November.Hackett was part of a big makeover in Denver. The Broncos acquired quarterback Russell Wilson in a massive trade with the Seattle Seahawks in March, subsequently signing Wilson to a five-year, $245 million contract extension in September.
Like Hackett, though, Wilson struggled mightily in his first season in the Mile High City. The 11-year veteran QB is on pace for single-season lows in both completion percentage (60.1%) and touchdown passes (12).
In August, the Broncos organization formally introduced their new ownership group led by Rob Walton and the Walton-Penner Family. General manager George Paton and the Walton-Penner family ownership group will now be charged with hiring a head coach to help try to turn the franchise around.
Denver hasn’t finished a season with a winning record since 2016. The franchise hasn’t reached the postseason since its Super Bowl run in the 2015 season.
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