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The Dolphins have hired Nathaniel Hackett to join Jeff Hafley’s staff as their quarterbacks coach
The Miami Dolphins are going to be busy this offseason, and their first order of business involves revamping their coaching staff. After surprisingly pulling a 180 and deciding to fire Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins moved quickly to hire former Green Bay Packers‘ defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to come in and replace him.
Miami’s decision to hire Hafley, who was viewed as one of the top head coach candidates in this cycle, has been met with generally positive reviews. Now, Hafley has begun building out his coaching staff, and on Thursday night, he made a surprise decision to bring controversial former Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett to town as part of his staff.
Dolphins Hire Nathaniel Hackett to Be New Quarterbacks Coach
Sources say Nathaniel Hackett will join Jeff Hafley’s coaching staff in Miami as QBs coach.
Hackett has been working as a football coach at either the college or NFL level for over two decades, and much of the work he did to build himself up as a top offensive mind came crashing down in 2022 when he was hired to be the Broncos’ head coach. Hackett performed so poorly during his time in charge of the team that he didn’t even make it through one full season with them.
Prior to his failed stint with Denver, Hackett spent time with the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Packers as an offensive coordinator. Hackett’s work with Aaron Rodgers towards the end of his tenure with Green Bay led to him becoming a head coach candidate. Unfortunately for the Broncos, their decision to hire Hackett went up in flames almost immediately.
Hackett reunited with Rodgers on the New York Jets after getting canned by Denver, but he also struggled there, and he eventually got demoted towards the end of the 2024 campaign. In 2025, Hackett largely laid low, as he returned to Green Bay, working as a defensive analyst. That allowed Hafley to become familiar with Hackett, though, and he decided to hire him to come to Miami and be his new quarterbacks coach.
“Sources say Nathaniel Hackett will join Jeff Hafley’s coaching staff in Miami as QBs coach,” Dan Graziano of ESPN reported in a post on X.
Nathaniel Hackett Has His Work Cut Out for Him with the Dolphins
GettyThe Dolphins have hired Nathaniel Hackett to join Jeff Hafley’s staff as their quarterbacks coach
Prior to his stint with the Broncos, Hackett had been lauded for his work with quarterbacks. The Dolphins are hoping he can turn back the clock and reestablish himself as a quarterback whisperer, because their situation is currently a mess. Tua Tagovailoa seems to be headed out the exit door after getting benched late in the 2025 campaign, which leaves Quinn Ewers as the top option left on the roster.
There’s a decent chance that Miami will bring a new quarterback or two to town this offseason, but whoever ends up under center for the Dolphins is going to have to work hand-in-hand with Hackett. This is certainly a risky move by Hafley, and Hackett now could play a pivotal role in determining how Miami’s quarterback(s) fare under center in 2026.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli
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