Nathaniel Hackett is back in Green Bay, but this time in a different role.
The Packers hired Hackett this week to be a defensive analyst, a much different position than he held the last time he was in town. The 45-year-old was the team's offensive coordinator from 2019 through '21 before leaving to take the Denver Broncos head coaching job. He was fired after less than a season in charge with a 4–11 record.
Hackett rebounded when the New York Jets hired him as their offensive coordinator in 2023, reuniting him with his former quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. Things did not go well. After a 2–3 start to the 2024 campaign, Hackett was stripped of his play-calling duties and let go after the season.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Hackett would work with the defense but bring an offensive perspective to the table. Former Jets head coach Robert Saleh, a defensive coach, had a similar role with the Packers offense last season.
"We've got kind of a history of this with guys that are kind out there and certainly, he's a guy that I really respect, and we've had a lot of great times together," LaFleur said. "And he's kind of coming in and doing an analyst role for our defense."
Hackett was considered a rising star in the coaching ranks for the work he did in three seasons as Green Bay's offensive coordinator. He capitalized on that status by taking the Broncos job, but things have gone sideways since.
A move back to the Packers could be the first step in rebuilding his career.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Packers Add Embattled Former NFL Head Coach As Analyst.
