The first coaching candidate interviewed was Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett.
I wasn't sure how I felt about poaching the hated Packers. But then I realized ... he's only been in Green Bay for 3 years. He's been a coach in the NFL since 2006. That includes stops as OC in Buffalo, where he somehow managed to help coax 9-7 out of Kyle Orton, and in Jacksonville, where he helped get the Jaguars to the 2017 AFC title game with Blake Bortles as quarterback.
Read that again. I had to. Kyle Orton and Blake Bortles.
There can be no doubt that this guy knows what he's doing around the offensive side of the football. But what about Nathaniel Hackett as a man? As a leader?
I've seen video of him speaking in press conferences. He's articulate and incredibly intelligent in his comments. He's respectful to the media, going so far as to use each reporter's first name when talking with them. Hell, just having THAT as opposed to the constantly prickly, combative, Mike Zimmer would be a welcome change. Mike Zimmer use a first name? Only if he's telling you how stupid you are.
Is he smart? Well, he was pre-med before he decided to go into coaching. Yeah, pretty smart.
But what about Nathaniel Hackett the leader? Let's turn to
This great article from SI.com.
Here's what David Bakhtiari, one of the most respected leaders of the Packers, has to say about him.
His positivity and energy, it’s infectious. There has never been a day where I have not seen him come in without greater energy and enthusiasm. He’s literally a walking culture.
Bakhtiari also said this.
He talks about teachers, and what defines a good teacher compared to a bad teacher. A bad teacher will always blame the student or the group or the person for not obtaining information rather than reflecting or looking at yourself (I'll interject here ... who does THAT sound like?), finding a way to reach not only the masses but every single person. You can grab their attention and help them learn the material no matter how dry, easy, complicated or in-depth it might be. That personifies his teaching habits.
As for his ability to run an offense and call plays, you have to go back to his days as an OC at Syracuse. Check this out.
He was fearless despite being a first-time play-caller. Once, after a miserable off-location practice at the Fort Drum military base, Hackett decided the offense was getting whooped in practice. So, two weeks before the season, he called a meeting, scrapped the entire playbook and installed a Jim Kelly–era Bills K-Gun offense. Ryan Nassib, the quarterback at the time, set school records for completions and yards, and tied the school record for touchdowns in a season.
See what happened there? His offense wasn't working, so he changed it. He adapted to his personnel. My god, if that's not the polar opposite of Zimmer, then I don't know what is.
Even his meetings are, by all reports, amazing.
To measure himself, Hackett once asked his father, Paul Hackett, to watch him run a meeting in Buffalo.
Paul is one of the game’s true good guys, a generous soul who, like Nathaniel, built a career out of listening to others and being personable. But afterward, he was confused.
“I didn’t know what was going on,” he told his son. “I didn’t know if you were yelling or screaming or laughing or telling jokes or what was happening.”
Nathaniel smiled. Exactly what he was going for. This is not just a meeting. This is an experience. This is a stage. You’re here to learn. You’ll learn better if you’re having a good time.
Doubt me. See for yourself.
Watch this.
And finally, we have Erin Rodgers — who, as we all know, hates everybody. This is from a recent Pat McAfee podcast.
This is a little overdue, to be honest. He’s been around the game a long time. What he did in Jacksonville, I think, was pure magic, getting them within a quarter of the Super Bowl. He’s a great coach. I love spending time with him. He’s a fantastic teacher. He’s incredible in front of the room.
If the Vikings get this guy, I'm gonna get excited. Seriously.
Read the article. You're welcome.
