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NFL Twitter Clowns Broncos, Nathaniel Hackett and Russell Wilson After HC Is Fired
December 26, 2022
What has felt inevitable for quite some time finally happened on Monday—the Denver Broncos fired head coach Nathanial Hackett.
No shocker there. The Broncos have limped to a 4-11 record in Hackett's first season, fresh off a 51-14 undressing against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
Hackett, of course, is hardly alone in harboring the blame. Veteran quarterback Russell Wilson has been horrendous, general manager George Paton signed Wilson to a five-year, $245 million extension after trading 2022 and 2023 first- and second-round picks, among other assets, to land him, and the offense in general has been putrid.
And none were above reproach after Monday's move. NFL Twitter had a field day:
Ian Rapoport @RapSheetThe product on the field for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Broncos?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Broncos</a> was bad. The QB play was bad. The fighting on the sideline was just as bad or maybe worse -- a sign the coach had no control over anything. Thus, the firing of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Broncos?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Broncos</a> coach Nathaniel Hackett.
JosinaAnderson @JosinaAndersonThough the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Broncos?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Broncos</a> affirm they path forward with GM George Paton, my understanding is that he's told others & knew he'd also been under evaluation over the back half of this season. The contact given to Russell Wilson speaks for itself, so far.
Roberto Cartagena @bertocartagenaLike the famous line from Friday…<br><br>"How you get fired on your day off?"<br><br>Nathaniel Hackett is the worst HC I EVER seen in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFL</a> and man there's been a lot<br><br>Has there ever been a coach who got fired in his first season with only 2 games left to play? 🤔 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BroncosCountry?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BroncosCountry</a> <a href="https://t.co/9To5ykb1lE">pic.twitter.com/9To5ykb1lE</a>
If you were to define the Broncos' season using only one word, it would probably be "calamity."
The offense is dead last in the NFL in points per game (15.5) and 26th in yards per contest (316.6). Wilson (3,019 yards, 12 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 60.1 completion percentage, 49 sacks taken) has been about as accurate and effective as Russell Westbrook shooting a three-pointer. It appeared Hackett fully lost the locker room.
Ari Meirov @MySportsUpdate<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Broncos?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Broncos</a> backup Brett Rypien exchanged some words with the starting offensive line, defending Russell Wilson after he took another sack, per <a href="https://twitter.com/tracywolfson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tracywolfson</a>. Dalton Risner pushed Rypien out of the way. <br><br>Here's the video, via CBS:<a href="https://t.co/MR7TTCfEzK">pic.twitter.com/MR7TTCfEzK</a>
George Stoia III @GeorgeStoiaAll season it felt like Nathaniel Hackett held together a sinking ship. The locker room hadn't fallen apart. <br><br>That changed yesterday. Obviously, everyone could see it on TV. But you could really feel it in that locker room yesterday. He had lost control. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Broncos?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Broncos</a>
It's all spoiled what has been a valiant effort from a defense holding opponents to 20.3 points per game, tied for seventh in the NFL.
So a change was necessary, and Hackett was the first domino to fall. But at this point, Wilson and Paton surely find themselves under a gaze of scrutiny from ownership as well.