The New York Jets coaching search for a new offensive coordinator to replace Mike LaFleur is moving quickly, with former Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett reportedly emerging as a top candidate for the job.
Hackett, the Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator from 2019-’21, was fired by Denver less than a calendar year after being named its head coach. He lasted just 15 games, posting a 4-11 record with his dismissal coming after a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Christmas Day.
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After taking several weeks off to evaluate his future, Hackett interviewed with New York last week and became the seventh offensive coordinator candidate interviewed by head coach Robert Saleh. With the field being narrowed to a few finalists, Hackett could be in an excellent position to take over as the Jets’ play-caller in 2023.
According to NFL insider Adam Caplan on SportsGridRadio, Hackett has a ‘very good chance” to replace LaFleur in New York if he wants the job. While the Jets are still evaluating several options, including assistants coaching in the playoffs, Hackett seems like the early favorite at this point.
The 43-year-old was not successful in Denver with the offense finishing near the bottom of nearly every statistical category before his dismissal. Russell Wilson posted a career-worst 82.6 QB rating with a 60.1% completion rate and 12-9 TD-INT rate with Hackett at the helm.
Following the Broncos’ coaching change, Wilson finished the season with a 96.5 QB rating, 505 passing yards and 62.9% completion rate in his last two starts.
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Amid circulating trade rumors surrounding Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, New York’s motivations become clearer. Rodgers raved about Hackett in the two years before he left Green Bay and the two have a very close relationship.
Hackett’s track record as a play-caller is extremely limited, with Matt LaFleur calling plays in Green Bay. Prior to that, Hackett’s tenures as the Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator (2013-’14) and as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ play-caller (2016-’18) never made him a viable NFL coaching candidate.
