Why firing Nathaniel Hackett is a problem for the Denver Broncos

Between injuries, inept offense, game management, penalties, and just about everything else, the Denver Broncos are a team rife with issues. With a winless November in the books, the drumbeat from Broncos Country is loud and clear:

I wish it were that easy. Firing Nathaniel Hackett now may make a disgruntled fanbase feel better in the short term, but removing him shines a spotlight on the $245 million catastrophe in the room.

The moment Denver moves on at head coach, the clock on Russell Wilson will begin ticking. There will be no buffer between fans’ expectations and Wilson’s abysmal performance. As insane as it sounds, Hackett’s employment keeps attention off of the mega-mistake that Denver made in trading for Mr. Wolverine Blood.

With a 5-year contract now strangling the Broncos, Denver will try to distract and delay from any additional scrutiny of Russell Wilson or his insanely stupid extension. By elevating an assistant coach to lead this squad, there will be nobody to shield Wilson from expectations.

You’ve heard of quiet quitting? The Denver Broncos are a living breathing example of quiet firing. Game management and play calling are no longer a part of Hackett’s job description. So, what is it he doing?

This week-after-week real-time self destruction keeps all the attention on Nathaniel Hackett and off of Russell Wilson. Let’s be honest, the tickets are already sold and the financial fortunes of the 2022 season have already been forecasted. Fire Hackett now or fire him later, does it really matter to the bottom line?

New ownership may not like losing, but they’re not stupid. If for nothing else, keeping Hackett on the sideline with headphones on, that may or may not be connected to anything, will protect Wilson from the fans, at least until next year.

I’m sure they see it as money well spent at this point.