Broncos fire 1st-year head coach Hackett with 2 games remaining in season
Denver was 4-11 under former Packers offensive coordinator
The Denver Broncos fired first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett on Monday with two games left in the season.
Owner and CEO Greg Penner said he'll lead the search for a new coach with assistance from GM George Paton, in whom he expressed confidence while announcing Hackett's dismissal.
Firing Hackett with two games left in a lost season allows Penner to begin his search for a replacement immediately.
Players were told during a team meeting Monday that senior assistant coach Jerry Rosburg, who was hired by Hackett in September to help him with game operations and clock management, will serve as interim head coach.
The Broncos scheduled a news conference for Tuesday, when they're expected to name their interim head coach for games at Kansas City next weekend and at home against the Chargers in Week 18.
The Walton-Penner group purchased the Broncos for $4.65 billion US last summer, a global record for a professional sports franchise, and Rob Walton said after the league's approval that he aimed to make the Broncos perennial championship contenders again.
In a statement Monday, Penner thanked Hackett for his dedication but said that "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."
Penner said that "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."
We have parted ways with Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett.<br><br>A statement from Broncos Owner & CEO Greg Penner: <a href="https://t.co/1tWMjHv6em">pic.twitter.com/1tWMjHv6em</a>
—@BroncosHackett replaced Vic Fangio last January but hasn't been able to build an offence suitable to Wilson, who recently turned 34.
Hackett is the third NFL head coach fired during the 2022 season. The Carolina Panthers replaced Matt Rhule with interim head coach Steve Wilks and the Indianapolis Colts fired Frank Reich and replaced him with coaching novice Jeff Saturday.
Hackett, Wilson highlight disastrous season for Denver
Many fans thought the Broncos hired Hackett away from the Green Bay Packers, where he was offensive coordinator, to help them land quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But Rodgers decided to re-up with the Packers and the Broncos instead traded for Wilson, who was seen as still in his prime.
Wilson, however, has had an awful first season in Denver after the Broncos sent four premium draft picks and three players to Seattle for the nine-time Pro Bowler. Wilson has 12 touchdown passes with nine interceptions and 49 sacks in 13 starts and has been unable to snap out of a season-long funk.
He routinely has ignored open receivers underneath to try for deep throws and he has shown a noticeable dip in his ability to escape from pass rushers this season.
The Broncos have missed the playoffs seven straight seasons and extended their string of losing records to six.
They will try to snap a 14-game losing streak to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday and beat Patrick Mahomes for the first time in 11 tries.
