Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was sad to see offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett jump to the Denver Broncos as a head coach this spring, and not just because Hackett helped Rodgers win back-to-back NFL MVP awards over the last two seasons.
Hackett was more than just a coach for Rodgers.
“It’s bittersweet losing Nathaniel just because I love him like a brother,” Rodgers said in February, via the Washington Post‘s Nicki Jhabvala. “He’s an amazing, amazing guy.”
Rodgers was happy for Hackett’s personal success, but sad to lose a beloved coach and friend.
That’s the kind of coach the Broncos are getting — one who connects with his players well. It’s clear that Hackett has quickly formed a good relationship with his new quarterback, Russell Wilson.
“I think Coach Hackett and I — our bond is so strong,” Wilson said after Wednesday’s practice. “Our communication and his understanding of the game — the why’s of the game, the history of the game. He’s a guru at it. I love studying the game like crazy, too, going all the way back in the day with the west coast offense and just studying that as well, with Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Steve Young and those guys to studying just how we do it and what we are thinking about and why.
“Every meeting, every detail, every practice meeting, and everything you do out here there is for a reason. Just setting that up has been fun. It’s been a joy to work with Coach Hackett.”
Rodgers threw 48 touchdown passes in 2020 and 37 in 2021. Wilson missed three games due to injury last year and he only threw 25 touchdown passes, but he had 40 the year before that. There’s no guarantee that Wilson will reach Rodgers-level numbers with Hackett, but the coach certainly has a good track record of success with quarterbacks.
The Hackett-Wilson union appears to be off to a good start in Denver.
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