Nathaniel Hackett Has Total Support amid 'Unprecedented' Scrutiny, Broncos GM Says

Denver Broncos general manager George Paton is standing behind embattled head coach Nathaniel Hackett.

“I believe in Nathaniel. I support Nathaniel 100 percent," Paton told reporters Thursday. "He’s been in this for seven games as a head coach. The scrutiny he’s faced is unprecedented. We’ve had four prime-time games, so he’s had to learn in front of the entire world.

"But I really like how he’s kept the team together. They’re connected. He’s kept our building together. I appreciate how he came through that."

Hackett's first seven games as a head coach have been a disaster, rife with offensive failures and game-management gaffes as the Broncos sit at 2-5. The glaringly obvious inability of Hackett to manage game situations and offensive play-calling led to the team hiring Jerry Rosburg as a game manager in September—a borderline unprecedented step for a first-year coach.

Paton's other major offseason move, trading for quarterback Russell Wilson, has also gotten off to a disastrous start. Wilson has thrown for 1,442 yards and five touchdowns against three interceptions over his six starts, with the Broncos offense failing to reach 20 points five times.

Given Hackett came to Denver with an offensive background, the struggles of the passing game are also at least partially laid at his doorstep.

Paton's quote should, at least somewhat, quell rumors of Hackett's immediate job security. Dan Graziano of ESPN reported there have been some grumblings about Hackett potentially getting fired if the Broncos lose to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London this weekend. While it's unlikely Hackett is fired before the end of the season, Graziano noted that "wouldn't surprise me to see some sort of action, like a call for some changes on the staff or a rearranging of responsibilities."

While Hackett will avoid the primetime spotlight in London, fans will be able to intently focus their attention on the Broncos as Sunday's game kicks off at 9:30 a.m. ET as the earliest game on the schedule.