The Broncos have fired coach Nathaniel Hackett, the team announced Monday.
Hackett compiled a 4–11 record in his first season with Denver, and the move comes less than a day after a 51–14 loss to the Rams, who were were without Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald.
“We recognize and appreciate this organization’s championship history, and we understand we have not met that standard,” Broncos owner Greg Penner said in a release. “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.”
The Broncos named senior assistant coach Jerry Rosburg as interim head coach, according to reports.
Hackett replaced Vic Fangio this past offseason, and the hope was that he would guide Denver to a playoff appearance following the blockbuster trade for quarterback Russell Wilson.
The Broncos’ offense has been one of the NFL’s worst this season, and Wilson is having is worst year of his career, throwing for just 3,019 yards and 12 touchdowns to nine interceptions in 13 games. Despite the addition of the Pro Bowl quarterback, Denver will end with a worse record than its 7–10 mark in 2021.
This was Hackett’s first shot at a head coaching position after several stints as an offensive assistant with multiple NFL teams.
