Bears Request to Interview Green Bay Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett

Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett already has an interview scheduled for this week with Jacksonville, and Denver also requested an interview for their head coaching vacancy on Monday.

Now a third team has shown interest in Hackett, and it’s one that Packer fans are very familiar with—the Chicago Bears.

While I’m sure the initial thought of many is for Green Bay to turn down the request, since the interview is for the head coaching opening, which is a step up from the offensive coordinator position, Green Bay will have to let Hackett interview.

The Bears moved on from both head coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace on Monday. In addition to Hackett, Chicago has also expressed interest in Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, Buffalo offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, as well as Buffalo defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier among what I imagine will be other candidates.

This is now Hackett’s third season as offensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers and although Matt LaFleur is the one calling the plays, Hackett plays an important role in the game plan that’s put together each week, specifically the red zone packages.

While the Packers red zone offense hasn’t been as effective this season, in 2019, they finished with the second-highest touchdown rate, and they ranked first in that category in 2020, scoring a touchdown on a whopping 80 percent of their red-zone visits. Green Bay also had the NFL’s No. 1 scoring offense in 2020 as well.

"Look, he’s been around the game forever,” said Rodgers of Hackett via SI. “He’s got an incredible passion, he has a great football mind, he’s an incredible teacher. I definitely see him as head coach material.”"

Over the last three seasons, the Green Bay Packers are 39-10 with two NFC Championship trips.

Hackett is a hot name on the coaching market, and it seems inevitable that he’s going to end up with a head coaching gig somewhere this offseason. That’s just how it goes in the NFL, the coordinators of successful teams are often times going to get these kind of opportunities.

In addition to Hackett receiving an interview request, quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Luke Getsy has also been asked to interview for Denver’s job opening. This will be his first head coaching interview.

At this time, the Green Bay Packers are focused on making a Super Bowl run, but there is the very real possibility that finding a new offensive coordinator will be on LaFleur’s to-do list this offseason. Getsy and Adam Stenavich are two internal candidates who could fill the role.