In a 51-14 loss against the Rams on Sunday, Broncos rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett lost command of his team, highlighting one of the biggest problems during his short-lived regime: an inability to maintain authority.
On Monday morning, the Broncos fired him.
On the sideline during the game, offensive lineman Dalton Risner shoved backup quarterback Brett Rypien. Afterward, defensive end Randy Gregory punched Rams O-lineman Oday Aboushi.
Via Mike Klis of KUSA-TV in Denver, Risner and Rypien explained their disagreement stemmed from a “miscommunication.”
Gregory was less contrite.
“What altercation? “Y’all want to know if I hit him in the mouth, I did,” Gregory said, per Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post.
Gregory not apologizing for the punch exhibits the Broncos’ discipline problem.
During the game, Gregory slammed his helmet on the turf, making it clear his rage boiled. Hackett took him out briefly but let him reenter, compounding the issue.
“Hackett has acted more like a kindergarten cop rather than a head coach, handing out hugs instead of instilling discipline,” wrote Kiszla.
In a post-game news conference, Hackett didn’t hold his team accountable either, simply saying: “It always starts with me without a doubt. I’m embarrassed. That’s not what we’re about.”
Denver (4-11) leads the league in penalties (107) and unofficially in humiliating incidents, defining the team under Hackett’s tenure.
A head coach must demand accountability from his players. Under Hackett, the Broncos had none, and the clock ran out on his one-and-done regime.
