clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Hackett knows the score: He must win

Of all the answers Hackett gave in his news conference, the need for the Broncos to win on the field sums it all up.

Nathaniel Hackett

Good morning, Broncos Country!

Give this to Nathaniel Hackett, his news conferences are fun.

He brings energy.

He brings life.

And the one thing he didn’t bring is a bunch of tired cliches, though in any walk of sports it’s difficult not to use them.

But the answer that summed up Hackett’s fun introductory news conference as the Denver Broncos 18th head coach is this answer:

“Let’s make no mistake — it’s only fun when you win football games. We’ve got to win and that’s what we want to do. I’m so excited to work with this organization (and) with these players. This is a young, hungry football team, and we’ve got to get over the hump. We’ve got to be excited about it and we all have to do this.”

The Broncos are mired in irrelevancy and losing football that has not been seen in these parts since the 1960s and early ‘70s.

The time for talk is over.

The time for grading a head coach’s news conference as a winner is over.

The time for rah-rah, “We’re close” BS is over.

It’s time for the Broncos to win where it counts and only matters: on the field.

Until that happens, nothing else matters.

Broncos Blast

I joined Klahr and Kompany on Saturday morning for my weekly Broncos Blast segment. This week, we talk about the Hackett hire and what comes next.

Denver Broncos News

What's Broncos Country to do on NFL Championship Sunday?
If you bleed orange and blue, the Final Four in the NFL isn’t easy to stomach. Here's a who-to-root-for rundown of the four remaining teams.

‘He has a brilliant football mind’: Inside HC Nathaniel Hackett’s plan for the Broncos
As Hackett builds a staff and begins to put his fingerprints on the Broncos, his plan for each phase, game management and analytics will all play a key factor.

‘A very, very good football coach’: NFLN’s Ian Rapoport evaluates Broncos’ hire of Nathaniel Hackett
Rapoport details why Hackett made sense for the Broncos, why it was the right time for him to be a head coach and how his staff could shape up in Denver.

Could Aaron Rodgers follow Hackett to Denver | 9news.com
After the Denver Broncos hired Nathaniel Hackett as their new head coach, could NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers follow him to Empower Field at Mile High.

Green Bay sports radio host praises new Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett
A Green Bay sports talk radio host weighs in on Nathaniel Hackett, the lovable now-former offensive coordinator for the Packers headed to Denver to take the reins as head coach.

Nathaniel Hackett is the newest Denver Broncos coach to try to fix same old offensive problem - Denver Broncos- ESPN
Hiring Hackett isn't about a package deal with Aaron Rodgers -- it's about fixing the offense and coaching his own coaches.

The Broncos hiring of Hackett is all about acquiring Rodgers - DenverFan
George Paton rolled the dice with Nathaniel Hackett, a move that will pay off if the Broncos are able to trade for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

NFL News

Tom Brady retiring after 22 seasons, 7 Super Bowl titles
Tom Brady is reportedly calling it quits after 22 seasons in the NFL.

Bengals-Chiefs, 49ers-Rams - NFL playoff game picks, schedule guide, bold predictions, odds, injuries, matchup keys, more
What to watch for in the AFC and NFC Championship Games. Bold predictions. Key stats to know. Matchups to watch. And, of course, final score picks for both games.

Did the Washington Football Team's new name leak early? : NPR
The team is scheduled to reveal its new name on Wednesday. But did a newly acquired domain name spoil the surprise?

NFL's unsung heroes in 2021 season: One player from each AFC team
With 32 separate 53-man rosters across the NFL, it's easy for key contributors to fly under the radar. With that in mind, Nick Shook spotlights one unsung hero from each AFC team.