Nathaniel Hackett was never not the guy for Mike LaFleur, Cardinals
· Yahoo Sports
The Arizona Cardinals announced and introduced their coordinators under new head coach Mike LaFleur this past week. We knew who the offensive coordinator was going to be long before the announcement. It is Nathaniel Hackett.
Nationally, it is a move that has been chuckled at, as he failed as a head coach with the Denver Broncos in 2022 and didn't have great success as a playcaller as offensive coordinator for the New York Jets in 2023-2024.
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But LaFleur made one thing very clear — Hackett was always his guy. "Literally I wanted him and no one else, and he's here," he told reporters when Hackett was introduced.
Hackett is a close friend of the LaFleur family, both Mike and his brother, Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. Hackett offensive coordinator for the Packers before becoming Denver's head coach, and he returned to the Green Bay staff in 2025 as a defensive analyst.
Hackett will not call plays during games. LaFleur will do that, but Hackett will be LaFleur's guy, is right-hand man.
As a rookie head coach, there are many things LaFleur doesn't know he doesn't know. Hackett has been a head coach. He has been an offensive playcaller. He has had struggles. He knows what LaFleur will face.
And on a staff where there aren't many who have worked with him previously, having one guy to trust implicitly should be an immense help to LaFLeur.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Nathaniel Hackett was never not the guy for Mike LaFleur, Cardinals