DENVER • The Broncos are hiring Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as their 18th head coach, The Gazette confirmed Thursday. 

Here are five things to know about Hackett:

A former player

Hackett was a long-snapper and linebacker at UC Davis before joining the staff as an assistant linebackers coach in 2003. While at UC Davis, he studied neurobiology and was on track to become a doctor before realizing he wanted to coach football like his father, Paul Hackett. 

Son of a coach

Hackett’s dad, Paul, was a long-time football coach after being a quarterback at UC Davis from 1966-68. Paul most notably was the head coach at the University of Pittsburgh (1989-92) and USC (1998-00) while also having stints with the Browns, 49ers, Cowboys, Chiefs, Jets, Buccaneers and Raiders. 

First gig in Tampa Bay

After spending time at UC Davis and Stanford, Nathaniel Hackett was hired by the Buccaneers as an offensive quality control coach in 2006, working under Jon Gruden and alongside his dad, who was the quarterbacks coach at the time. Hackett quickly rose from there, earning his first offensive coordinator role in the NFL in Buffalo, N.Y., at age 32, being hired by coach Doug Marrone. 

Fired in Jacksonville

Hackett followed Marrone to Jacksonville, Fla., where he became the quarterbacks coach in 2015-16 and the offensive coordinator in 2016-18. Despite helping the Jaguars to the AFC Championship in 2017, Hackett was fired by Marrone the next season after the Jaguars started 3-8. The Jaguars were one of the best rushing teams in the NFL under Hackett, but struggled in the passing game with Blake Bortles as their starting quarterback. 

Rodgers’ endorsement

It didn’t take long for Hackett to find his next gig, being hired by the Packers in 2019 as their offensive coordinator, joining head coach Matt LaFleur. While Hackett did not call plays during his three seasons in Green Bay, he was an integral part of the Packers’ offense, working closely with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was the league’s MVP in 2020-21. Rodgers said earlier this season he believed Hackett would be a great head coach if given the opportunity.