The Green Bay Packers have a lot on the line when they open the playoffs against the Chicago Bears on Saturday night. Obviously, the Packers will be looking to begin a march toward their fifth Super Bowl victory, but many players and coaches could have their jobs or spots on next year’s roster at stake during the most critical point of the season.
Packers fans know the names heading into Saturday’s game. But what they may not have expected is Nathaniel Hackett joining that group.
According to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, Hackett was spotted walking into Wednesday’s practice. While he served as a defensive analyst with the Packers during practice, Schneidman noted he hadn’t been seen since the start of the regular season and hinted he could be helping with the Packers’ offense this time around, noting “(The) Red zone is saved.”
It’s an interesting development as Saturday’s game approaches, and it could be something that revives Hackett’s career if Green Bay goes on a deep playoff run.
Packers’ Red Zone Struggles Are Major Storyline Entering Playoffs
As Schneidman mentioned, there is a very good reason why Hackett appeared at Wednesday’s practice. According to Pro Football Reference, the Packers ranked 10th in the NFL with 59 trips to the red zone, but they only came away with a touchdown on 34 of those possessions. Additionally, their 57.6% TD rate ranked tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the 14th-highest percentage this season.
The issues have reached a heightened stage late in the season. The Packers didn’t score a touchdown in five trips to the red zone in a Week 16 loss to the Bears that could have had Green Bay hosting Saturday’s game instead of traveling to Chicago. Combine that with one touchdown in two trips to the red zone in a Week 17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and the Packers have scored one touchdown in their last seven trips to the red zone, excluding the Week 18 game against the Minnesota Vikings, where most of their starters were resting.
“That’s certainly been our Achilles’ heel as of late,” Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich told reporters last week. “When you’re talking about offensive production and scoring points. I think what we do in the red zone is extremely important. (It’s) as important as anything we’ve done. We had a couple of turnovers down there, so just things like that, where we get opportunities to score points and score seven points, we got to make sure we do it, especially when you’re playing really good teams.”
This is where Hackett comes into play. During his time as head coach Matt LaFleur’s offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2021, the Packers were one of the best red zone teams in the NFL, ranking in the top 10 in touchdown rate in two of his three seasons and ranking first with an 80% touchdown rate during the 2020 season.
Year | Red Zone Trips | Red Zone TDs | Red Zone TD Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
2019 | 50 (18th) | 32 (12th) | 64.0% (8th) |
2020 | 60 (8th) | 48 (2nd) | 80.0% (1st) |
2021 | 70 (4th) | 41 (5th) | 58.6% (19th) |
Nathaniel Hackett Could Revive His Career with a Packers’ Playoff Run
While Hackett has shown proficiency in this area, it’s a distant memory for most NFL teams. Hackett was a hot head coaching candidate during the end of his time with the Packers and was named the head coach of the Denver Broncos following the 2021 season. But he lasted just one year in Denver due to poor game management and a dysfunctional relationship with Russell Wilson.
Hackett attempted to rehabilitate his reputation by reuniting with Aaron Rodgers as offensive coordinator of the New York Jets, but his offense ranked toward the bottom of the league in both seasons before he was demoted for Todd Downing in October 2024.
With so many failures fresh in the minds of the NFL’s decision makers, Hackett couldn’t find a job before his defensive analyst role during training camp. That's why it makes sense that he would want to climb aboard in case the Packers make a deep run.
If the Packers start finding the end zone on some of their long drives or take advantage in sudden change situations, some could point to Hackett for fixing their issues. While he’s unlikely to be considered for a head coaching role, an offensive coordinator position is a possibility, as seven teams have head coaching vacancies and will need to fill their staff in the coming months.
For everything on the line in the playoffs, Hackett may have the most to gain even in a minor role. It could be enough to jump-start his career and potentially land him a job for the 2026 season.