The NFL coaching carousel is spinning faster than ever, and Nathaniel Hackett just made a surprising U-turn! Just last week, it seemed like Hackett was set to join the Miami Dolphins as their new quarterbacks coach. But hold on to your hats, because reports on Wednesday revealed he's now ditching Miami to take on the role of offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals!
This means Hackett won't be working under new Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley. Instead, he'll be collaborating with another coach who's also stepping into a head coaching role for the first time in the NFL: Mike LaFleur.
But here's where it gets interesting... LaFleur himself has a history with the Jets, having served as their offensive coordinator from 2021 to 2022. Who replaced him? None other than Nathaniel Hackett, who took over the OC position the following season when the Jets famously brought in quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Remember the 2024 season with the Jets? It was a tough one. Hackett was actually stripped of his play-calling duties midway through the season as things went south, culminating in a disappointing 5-12 record and the mid-season firing of head coach Robert Saleh. After two challenging years in New York, the Jets underwent a regime change, and Hackett wasn't retained on Aaron Glenn's staff.
Interestingly, Hackett spent this past season as a defensive analyst for the Packers. His former colleague, Jeff Hafley (the defensive coordinator who is now the Dolphins' head coach), was also with the Packers. It's a small world in the NFL coaching ranks!
Now, back to LaFleur. He spent the last three seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Rams after his time with the Jets. He recently confirmed to reporters on Tuesday that he will be the one calling the plays for the Cardinals in Arizona.
And this is the part most people miss... The Cardinals had a tough time offensively last season. They heavily relied on backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who started 12 games and put up respectable numbers with 3,366 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. Despite this, the team struggled, ranking 20th in the league in scoring offense, averaging just 20.9 points per game.
The big question looming over Arizona is the future of Kyler Murray. Will the new coaching staff believe in him as their quarterback for the long haul, or even for the upcoming 2026 season? Murray, a dynamic dual-threat quarterback, only played in 5 games last season. He's currently under a massive $230.5 million contract extension that keeps him with the team through 2028, unless the Cardinals decide to move on.
LaFleur expressed his thoughts on Murray during his introductory press conference, stating, "I have a lot of respect for him as a player. Having the five years having to go against him, a lot of respect for him as a player and he was never a fun challenge to go against."
What do you think? Is Hackett's move a sign of good things to come for the Cardinals, or is this just another chapter in the unpredictable NFL coaching saga? And what does the future hold for Kyler Murray in Arizona? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
