Broncos HC Nathaniel Hackett: Scheme is 'About What Players do Best'

Change is inevitable in the NFL, and one of the best transformations the Denver Broncos have seen this offseason is the culture, philosophy, and overall coaching style. There's little doubt that new Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett is a bright and energetic person regardless of the situation, but this newfound culture change from the top down has the players bright and energetic as well.

On Tuesday, the Broncos hosted their annual media barbecue to open up training camp. With Hackett, GM George Paton, wide receiver Courtland Sutton and safety Justin Simmons at the microphone, the change from the stark demeanor of the previous staff to a more bright and energetic environment could not be more apparent.

The Broncos are champing at the bit to get to work, eager to turn around this franchise.

“I know that going into camp there is so much excitement, there is so much energy, and so much juice with the coaching staff and the guys that we have,” Simmons said when asked about how the team is approaching camp under Hackett. “You felt that just in OTAs. For tomorrow, it’s going to be so hard to level back the excitement, the energy, and the juice for so many of the guys because you just get so excited that you just want it to be Week 1 in Seattle tomorrow.”

Things got stale quickly under the previous coaching regime, and the results showed on the field over the last couple of months of the 2021 season. Hackett's coaching staff is doing nearly everything to erase the culture of old. And it appears to be working in a massively positive way.

Hackett has incorporated trivia games back into the meeting rooms as well as bringing back music to practices. His demeanor in press conferences has grown to show candor in his responses, insight into how the operation works behind the scenes, and how his previous coaching experiences have taught him that he needs to create relationships with each and every player on the roster.

Under the previous regime, compliments towards players in the media room were scarce. Praise on the field was even harder to come by.

Even legendary Broncos edge defender Von Miller was put under the microscope by ex-head coach Vic Fangio in his opening press conference after being hired back in 2018 when he said that the Super Bowl 50 MVP can be "even better." The media was often better off asking how a player could improve rather than what he was doing well to get an answer out of Fangio.

That isn’t the case anymore. Hackett wants to show that he is here for his players, no matter what.

“For me, I do this for the players. I do this because I love watching those guys be successful out there and I always want them to know I support them and I’m with them,” Hackett explained on Tuesday. “I’ll try to run with them when I can—once I get back in shape. I do every single thing so they know I’m right there with them. It’s a hard season and they have to know that the coaches are always there to support them. I think friendships and relationships are very important, and that’s what I was brought up to do.”

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Citing his experiences growing up inside the NFL with his father, former San Francisco 49ers QBs coach Paul Hackett, the younger Hackett continued on by saying that you still have to make your players understand that they're in a business and that when things fall short, somebody is going to have to say something. That falls on the head coach. The lead man in charge.

Hackett wants everybody has to know that it's possible to be friends while still having a professional business relationship.

“As the head coach, they still have to understand that it is a business and when we ask them and we define that and they don’t do that, then someone is going to have to say something," he said. “I think that’s my job—to create that relationship. Yeah, you can be a friend, but even with your friends, your brother, your family, my kids—you put your foot down and there are things that you stand for. The idea is for them to know that, and when they know that, then we’re good. There’s a line, I guess, but it’s just about having a great relationship and communication.”

As far as how Hackett wants to incorporate his complex offense into the fold, he practically described it as drinking through a fire hose that was only partially turned on. It starts with a lot of information to begin the installation, but the flow is gradual rather than explosive all at once.

Everything has been presented over the course of OTAs, and despite there being a large amount of information to process early in the offseason, the entirety of the playbook can be practiced for a third time as training camp progresses.

In Hackett’s mind, it’s the best way to help create the adaptability that you need to have throughout the season, despite being limited by the time constraints of the new collective bargaining agreement. Teams don't get the same amount of practice time with the players on the field as they used to, so becoming more creative and innovative has become paramount in today’s NFL.

“That’s kind of the philosophy that I’ve taken,” Hackett said. “The good thing about that is—yes, we are restricted by time, but this will be the third time they’ve had this installation. They had it for Phase 1 and Phase 2, and that’s kind of the teaching process that we’ve had to be able to get to this point... That’s where we really get to fine-tune everything. They’re going to get it again starting tomorrow and all these next days.

"It’s about putting [in] that foundation, understanding what we’re trying to accomplish, and getting it that third time in a row is where you’re going to see that good stuff happen.”

The foundation is incredibly important to get all of the players on the same page, but it doesn’t end there. Several questions need answering before this team can come together as a unit.

Which player excels in this area of the game? Who struggles in this aspect? How can we adapt to certain in-game situations to help our players succeed?

How can the players get better?

Part of the reason for the Broncos' failures over the past several seasons under various coaching staffs has been a lack of adaptability in what the coaches want to do with their philosophical approach to the game. Forcing players to fit the scheme, rather than adapting the scheme to fit the skill set of the players.

Hackett was specifically asked about what innovation he has brought to the team and what it means to him to be innovative in his approach. His response should bring a smile to every fan in Broncos Country.

“You’re going to see a lot of different stuff on the field,” he said. “It’s all about this team. It’s about what Russell [Wilson] does well. It’s about what [WR] Tim Patrick does well. It’s about what [WR] Courtland [Sutton], what [TE] Albert [Okwuegbunam], the offensive line—what they do well. We’re trying to make sure we have a big enough playbook that we can simplify it down when it gets to the season to do what’s best for them.

“From an innovation standpoint, we’re always trying to be creative and do different things, but we have to make sure we’re doing what the players do the best. That’s what we’re working through and that’s what training camp is all about.”

If Hackett can deliver on his words and put his players in the right position to succeed, the Broncos have the talent to become an instant contender. With playmakers all over the field, a franchise quarterback to lead the way, and a culture change that emphasizes excitement, learning, and adaptability, there’s no reason the Broncos can’t live up to some lofty expectations.

Expectations that Paton is fired up to attack.

“We know what’s going on within these walls and we are fired up within these walls,” Paton said on Tuesday. “Our guys are excited. It does us no good to talk about it. We have our expectations within our walls, and we’re fired up to go get it.”

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