"I love spending time with him": How real is the connection between Aaron Rodgers and Nathaniel Hackett?

DENVER — Just before 12:00 AM MST Thursday, the Denver Broncos swooped in and got their guy in Nathaniel Hackett, stopping the Jacksonville Jaguars pursuit of the head coach candidate.

Instead of the Packers’ coordinator heading to Jacksonville for a second interview with the Jaguars on Thursday, George Paton sealed the deal with Hackett, making him the Broncos’ next head coach.

With Hackett locked in and Denver’s head coaching search over, the Broncos’ sights now shift to finding a quarterback that can keep up with the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert in the AFC West.

Can the Broncos, now with Hackett, swoop in and get Green Bay’s quarterback, Aaron Rodgers?

Two years ago, this would have seemed like a pipe dream.

But thanks to Rodgers’ actions and words over the past 12 months—along with the Broncos actions over the past 12 hours—it’s not hard to connect the dots on a reunion between Hackett and the future Hall-of-Fame quarterback happening in Denver.

“I’m very happy for these guys,” Rodgers stated on the Pat McAfee Show on Jan. 11, when talking about Hackett and Packers’ quarterback coach Luke Getsy having a chance to interview with the Broncos. “I’m happy any time we get guys on our staff with opportunities. We got a great staff on both sides of the ball.”

It’s not a secret that Rodgers isn’t known to get along and love everyone he encounters. But that’s certainly not the case with Hackett. In fact, Rodgers has gone out of his way to praise his offensive coordinator the past three seasons.

“I’m really happy for Nathaniel, I think he’s—this is a little overdue, to be honest,” Rodgers told McAfee, opening up about his admiration for Hackett. “I think he’s been around the game for a long time. What he did in Jacksonville I think was pure magic, getting them within a quarter of the Super Bowl was incredible. He’s a great coach. I love spending time with him. He’s a fantastic teacher. He’s an incredible in front of the room and I’m really happy for him.”

Magic is a good word for what Hackett pulled off with the Jaguars in 2017. As Jacksonville’s offensive coordinator, he led Blake Bortles to an AFC Championship Game behind the NFL’s best rushing attack.

After not being able to create magic for a second-straight season, Hackett upgraded at quarterback going from Bortles in Jacksonville to Rodgers in Green Bay.

Over the next three seasons (2019-2021), Rodgers played the best ball of his career, averaging 37 touchdowns to only four interceptions in Matt LaFleur and Hackett’s offense.

“I would hate to lose him, but I do feel like he would be a fantastic head coach,” Rodgers told Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post in Oct. 2021.

Rodgers will be losing Hackett in Green Bay. But he’ll have the opportunity to reunite with a “fantastic head coach” in Denver if he forces the Packers to trade him.

“Hope he doesn’t go anywhere… Unless I do.” Rodgers stated in Nov. 2020 about Hackett.

Well, Aaron, Hackett’s gone. Will you be following him to the Mile High City?

With the success Rodgers had under Hackett, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if the signal caller’s next audible was to force his way to Denver.

But there’s more.

The 38-year-old quarterbacks’ admiration for the 42-year-old coach goes well beyond what Hackett did to help Rodgers on the field. He respects him as a leader—the No. 1 characteristic George Paton was looking for in a head coach—motivator and teacher.

“It’s understanding that every player has different motivators and everybody can respond differently to coaching, and figuring out what those buttons are on certain people to push to get the most out of them,” Rodgers told Jhabvala. “That’s what he does really well. He disarms guys and makes them feel really comfortable, and then he’s really good at teaching the game.”

Hackett is praised by his fellow coaches and, more importantly, players for his ability to connect with every person in the room on an individual basis along with bringing in an incredible amount of life and energy into a building.

Even during his eight hours in Denver on Monday, Hackett’s positive energy was already carrying through the halls of the UCHealth Training Center.

“His presentations are legendary, they really are. He finds ways every single week to come up with new cool ideas,” Rodgers told Jhabvala. “He’s got infectious energy. He’s hilarious.”

Who knows if Rodgers will play another down in Green Bay, or the NFL, for that matter. At 38 years old with multiple MVPs under his belt and a Super Bowl Ring on one finger, he could decide to call it a career.

If, however, he comes back to the NFL, but not to Green Bay, Paton’s hire of Hackett could be infectious enough to lure Rodgers to Denver.

Just as Rodgers wants, there will be plenty of uncertainty regarding his future over the next few weeks.

But one thing that’s certain is Aaron Rodgers is a big fan of the Denver Broncos’ next head coach.