Hackett-Rodgers Package Deal? ‘Absolutely Not’

Former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was introduced as the new coach of the Denver Broncos on Friday.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Did the Denver Broncos hire Nathaniel Hackett as a way to lure quarterback Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers?

“Absolutely not,” general manager George Paton said on Friday during Hackett’s introductory news conference. “Thanks for asking.”

Rodgers’ name was brought up only one more time on Friday, when Hackett was asked what the MVP quarterback meant to his career.

“First and foremost, Aaron was absolutely unbelievable,” Hackett said. “He’s been one of my biggest supporters and I love him. I’m thankful very much for him. Coaching a man like that, the one thing I learned is you better have an answer for every question because he’s going to ask every single question about every single thing that you’re going to do. I think that was something that was very valuable for me.

“When you’re dealing with a guy that intelligent, if you want to do something, you’re not going to be able to put that up there and say, ‘Hey, you’re doing this,’ unless it’s something that he might’ve already done in the past. If it’s something new, you have to be sure to have a great answer. It’s just allowed me to understand communicating and talking with everybody and knowing that you have to always have an answer to ‘Why?’”

After coordinating an offense that helped the Blake Bortles-quarterbacked Jaguars reach an AFC Championship Game in 2017, Hackett was part of Matt LaFleur’s original staff in 2019. Together, the Packers became the first team in NFL history to post three consecutive 13-win seasons. The 2020 team led the NFL in scoring. The 2021 team finished 10th despite a wave of injuries that hit the offensive line particularly hard.

“Nathaniel has a unique ability to connect with everyone he touches,” Paton said. “He has a proven track record of developing younger players, working with quarterbacks and helping great players become even better, but it was his vision in all three phases of our football team that really separated him [from] the rest of the group.

“He’s the son of a very successful college and NFL coach [Paul Hackett]. He grew up around football. He’s all about ball, he’s a student of the game, [and] he’s a unique competitor who’s all about winning. He’s different than any coach I’ve really been around. He has a lot of other interests.”

Paton went on to mention Hackett’s love for his family, the arts and volunteering.

“It was very refreshing,” Paton said.

Hackett’s signature sense of humor was on display.

In thanking the Packers and LaFleur, Hackett said, “I will thank him forever. I’m going to make a run at being the sexiest coach in the NFL against him.”

He also told a story that entertained reporters in Green Bay. While his father was a famous coach, Hackett was ready to take his life another direction.

“I was majoring in neurobiology and I was in my final lab and we were doing all this crazy lab stuff – it was like a 10-hour lab,” Hackett said. “I remember being in that lab and it was very quiet and very serious, and I might’ve tried to play a couple of practical jokes and I don’t think a lot of people liked the jokes. I thought they were really good jokes. Then you leave, you go outside, and you are out on the field and you’re with your brothers and you’re with your coach and you just realize, ‘I really need to try this thing.’”

Following LaFleur’s lead, Hackett said he’d be calling plays.

Hackett’s departure leaves the Packers without an offensive coordinator. Quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy and offensive line coach Adam Stenavich are the internal candidates. Getsy, who also interviewed to be Denver’s coach, is in the running to be the play-calling offensive coordinator in Chicago.

Filling his coaching staff will be among Hackett’s priorities. He’ll be at this week’s Senior Bowl to scout players and meet candidates.

“I’m so lucky,” Hackett said. “Matt LaFleur came in as a first-time head coach, and I was able to watch him maneuver that – being both a head football coach and calling plays. I think it’s about being able to budget your time. Understand what you need to get done so you have the ability to be great on gameday because, in the end, that’s the most important thing. Not wasting a lot of time, making sure everyone is prepared and ready and to be able to do that is having that great staff. [If] you have that great staff, you’re capable of doing anything. I’m very excited to get back to doing that.”