4 Leadership Traits Broncos HC Nathaniel Hackett is Lacking

The Denver Broncos have a dilemma on their hands. Do the Broncos fire Nathaniel Hackett at season's end and eat the investment they made in him, or give him another year in hopes he can become a good head coach?

By keeping Hackett another year, GM George Paton will hope that Hackett can make enough changes in his leadership style to become the head coach he envisioned when they made the hire. The question that the Broncos' front office and ownership must answer is simple.

Does Hackett have what it takes, or can he at least learn what it takes to competently lead a team to success?

And what does it take to be a great head coach in the NFL?

It's easy to say that Hackett needs to be a good leader. That's a very generalized statement.

The front office will need to break down the qualities of a good leader in the context of professional football, then apply those to what it knows about Hackett. In order to be a successful head coach, a person must be able to bring people from all walks of life (coaches, players, etc.) to develop a successful strategy and have it play out accordingly on the football field, leading to victories.

Here are the qualities that make that happen.

Build a Competent Staff

The first step is to have a critical mind in order to evaluate potential assistant coaches so that a head coach can build a competent staff. Hackett has been hit-or-miss on this crucial point.

Hackett hired Ejiro Evero as defensive coordinator, which has proven to be a great move. Klint Kubiak appears to be another good hire as QBs coach and now offensive play-caller. However, Hackett's decision to bring on Justin Outten as offensive coordinator, Butch Barry as O-line coach, and Dwayne Stukes as special teams coordinator have proven to be terrible.

Outten was passed over as a play-caller for Kubiak when Hackett finally decided to let go of said duties, leading many to wonder what it is Outten does for the team. Barry and Stukes are presiding over two units that have failed miserably.

To make matters worse, Hackett jettisoned coaches who were widely regarded as the best in the business at their respective positions (Mike Munchak is example No. 1). That indicates Hackett wanted 'his' guys instead of thinking critically on the matter.

Hackett can find talent, as evidenced by Evero, but he also made some glaring mistakes. This is a skill that he could improve with some adjustments.

Put Players in Position to Succeed

The next quality is being able to evaluate players well enough that they can thrive. Hackett has not been able to do this consistently.

One example is third-year wideout Jerry Jeudy. He is beginning to thrive as an X receiver but was only put there due to necessity (Courtland Sutton's injury). Jeudy should have started the season at this spot, but due to stereotypical decision-making, he was not.

It's a big risk to think Hackett can learn this skill since he has been fairly awful so far in 2022. To steal a phrase from the book Good to Great, a leader has to put the right people on the bus and also put them in the right seat. If Hackett can do this, the Broncos will start winning.

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Cultivating a Competitive Spirit

A coach doesn’t have to be fiery or constantly in 'rah-rah' mode, but he should have a competitive spirit. If there is a competitive fire to Hackett, he hides it very well.

For example, when he is on the podium answering questions about the Broncos-Raiders rivalry, he showed very little understanding of how important that was to the team and the history of the two clubs. He also had little concern for the losing streak the Broncos have against the Kansas City Chiefs. That doesn’t bode well.

A coach should display a modicum of competitiveness, especially in situations like those described above. A nonchalant attitude exudes a lack of confidence and concern for winning, which can trickle down to the rest of the team.

Professional football is about winning games, and to have a lackluster attitude toward it as a head coach can speak volumes about how his ability to cultivate a winning culture. This trait may be the hardest to learn if it isn’t already in Hackett’s nature. If he were to suddenly show it, it would likely come off as fake.

Decisions Best For the Team

Being able to make decisions that are best for the team overall is the most important trait. Hackett doesn’t appear to have this quality, or at least is very inconsistent when making those decisions.

Hackett is a players' coach, and when you are 'buddies' with the players, it's difficult to make a tough decision that impacts an individual. Several cases point to his lacking of this skill.

Former Broncos running back Melvin Gordon was given far too many chances when his fumbling was costing the team wins, yet Hackett gave tight end Albert Okwuegbunam far fewer chances to see the field for far less severe transgressions.

The toughest decision Hackett was unable to make was building the right offense for Russell Wilson, not the offense the quarterback wanted. Sometimes a great leader has to understand what is best for a player even when that player may not realize it, and then the leader must convince him why it's for the best.

Wilson has looked out of sorts in this offense, to say the least. Hackett should have recognized that early on, made changes, and got Wilson on board. That never happened, and with Hackett’s 'friend status,' it may never happen.

Bottom Line

There are qualities in Hackett that can be recognized in order to make one think he has it in him to learn to become the leader the Broncos need. He realized early that he needed help with game management, so he sought out a solution that seemed to work.

Hackett also relinquished play-calling duties mid-stream. It may have been too little, too late, but he was able to evaluate his weaknesses and find solutions.

A great leader fills in the gaps of his weaknesses with people who excel in those areas. The big question is, can Hackett evaluate himself well enough to make the much-needed changes he has to make to get the Broncos back to their winning ways?

Paton may be willing to take that risk and give Hackett another season.

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