Hackett’s new role is notably limited: he will not design an offense, call plays, or manage the game plan. Instead, his focus will be on developing the Dolphins’ quarterback room, a position-coach assignment that could be valuable as Miami navigates quarterback considerations after benching Tua Tagovailoa late in the season.
For Broncos fans, the news revives painful memories from Hackett’s 2022 tenure in Denver. He finished 4-11 in an offense that ranked dead last in scoring, with chaos and mismanagement that included a controversial 64-yard field-goal try on opening night and midseason shifts away from his play-calling duties to Klint Kubiak. He was fired after 15 games, and former Broncos coach Sean Payton later called that year among the worst coaching jobs in NFL history.
Miami, however, views the hiring through a different lens. Hackett won’t be tasked with crafting or managing an offense; he’ll contribute as a position coach in a quarterback room that could undergo transitions. His addition comes with a history of collaboration with Hafley in Green Bay and success in the Packers’ non-play-calling offensive coordination from 2019-21, a period when Aaron Rodgers won back-to-back MVPs.
Hackett’s strongest NFL credential outside Denver has long been his work as a teacher and communicator, a trait Rodgers has publicly endorsed. In Miami, the Dolphins are counting on that experience to aid quarterback development without the burdens of play-calling or game management.
Broncos Country will likely watch closely, hoping the Hackett era is firmly behind them. This move marks a return to NFL relevance for the coach, now in a role focused on developing quarterbacks rather than directing an entire offense.
