After interviews with ten different candidates, Denver settled on former Green Bay offensive coordinator Hackett as the 18th head coach in franchise history.
With nine total head coaching vacancies across the league, most candidates had multiple interview requests, and Hackett was no different. Denver general manger George Paton kept his thoughts private throughout the process, but his interest in Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was evident. We do know from sources inside the organization that if Quinn were unavailable, two names emerged as backup plans: Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell, and Hackett.
O'Connell is still in the playoffs, making access to him fairly limited. Hackett's Packers were eliminated last weekend however, freeing his schedule up considerably.
Hackett flew into Denver earlier this week for a second interview with Paton that lasted well into the evening, per Broncos Insider Mike Klis. Meanwhile, Quinn flew to Chicago for a second interview there, and while a second interview was scheduled for Denver as well, deductive minds can reason that once Paton got the feeling Quinn's interests lied elsewhere, he moved on his second choice before Hackett received a competing offer. The word from the front office is Paton chose Hackett over Quinn (of course they have to say that), but...I don't buy it.
Clearly, Hackett impressed in his interviews. After the first interview the noise out of Dove Valley was muted, but after the second sit-down earlier this week the buzz was undeniable. Hackett spent the last three seasons in Green Bay as Aaron Rodgers' offensive coordinator, and before that was the offensive coordinator in Jacksonville and Buffalo, with varying levels of success. His crowing achievement is probably making the AFC championship game in 2017 with Blake Bortles in Jacksonville.
Less than two hours into the first-time head coach's employment, the only talk surrounding him is whether or not Hackett's hire means Aaron Rodgers is coming to Denver. Rodgers' situation is up in the air currently after another disappointing playoff loss in Green Bay, but acquiring the quarterback would likely be the largest trade in NFL history as Rodgers is still under contract and there are a limited number of teams with the resources to make that happen. Denver is one of those teams with the cap space and potential trade resources to attempt a deal for Rodgers and perhaps even his Pro-Bowl receiver Davante Adams in a package deal, but much of that revolves around what Denver would be willing to give up, and what Green Bay will be willing to take in return for a future Hall of Fame player.
Denver didn't hire Hackett simply to acquire Aaron Rodgers, and there is no telling if Rodgers would want to go to a team where he is working with the same guy he just lost with in Green Bay. Sure Rodgers was quoted as saying "I hope Hackett doesn't go anywhere...unless I do", but reading too much into anything Aaron Rodgers says is dangerous. Suffice to say Denver is an option for Rodgers, and hiring Hackett helped those chances rather than hurt them, so it will be interesting to follow the situation as it unfolds.
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