The Arizona Cardinals are reshaping their coaching staff in a big way, announcing the hiring of Nathaniel Hackett as their new offensive coordinator and Michael Ghobrial as special teams coordinator. Defensive coordinator Nick Rallis will remain in his role, giving head coach Jonathan Gannon some continuity on that side of the ball heading into 2026.
Let’s start with the most eye-catching move: Hackett’s arrival. It’s a quick turnaround for the 46-year-old, who had just joined the Miami Dolphins as quarterbacks coach in late January. Now, he’s heading to the desert to take over an offense that’s still trying to find its identity under Gannon.
Hackett’s NFL journey has been anything but linear. He broke into the league with the Buccaneers back in 2006 as an offensive quality control coach.
From there, he bounced to Buffalo, then to Syracuse, where he climbed the college coaching ladder before rejoining the Bills as offensive coordinator under Doug Marrone. That partnership carried over to Jacksonville, where Hackett helped guide the Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game in 2017-yes, that actually happened-before being let go midway through the 2018 season.
He found new life in Green Bay, serving as offensive coordinator during some of Aaron Rodgers’ most efficient years. That success helped earn him the head coaching job in Denver in 2022, but things unraveled quickly.
Hackett went 4-11 and didn’t finish the season. A stint as Jets offensive coordinator in 2023 followed, but the results weren’t pretty: 31st in total offense, 29th in points per game, 30th in passing yards, and 23rd in rushing.
After that, he took on a consultant role with the Packers in 2025 before his brief stop in Miami.
Now, Hackett gets another shot to call plays-this time for a Cardinals team that’s still in the early stages of a rebuild. The big question: Can he help unlock consistency from the quarterback position and bring some rhythm to an offense that’s struggled to stay on schedule?
On the other side of the ball, Rallis returns for his fourth season as defensive coordinator. Still just 32 years old, Rallis has climbed the coaching ranks quickly.
He got his start at Wake Forest in 2017, then joined the Vikings as a defensive quality control coach in 2018. After a stint as the Eagles’ linebackers coach, he came to Arizona in 2023 to take over the defense.
The results in 2025 weren’t great-27th in yards allowed, 29th in points allowed, 25th against the run, and 24th against the pass-but the Cardinals are clearly betting on Rallis’ long-term upside. He’s known for his energy, attention to detail, and ability to connect with players. With another offseason to work with a young, developing roster, the hope is that Rallis can start turning those flashes of promise into more consistent production.
Special teams, meanwhile, will now be in the hands of Michael Ghobrial. While less is known publicly about his resume, his hiring signals a fresh direction for a unit that’s often overlooked but can swing close games-especially for a team like Arizona that’s likely to be in a lot of them.
This trio of coaching decisions tells us a lot about where the Cardinals are headed. There’s a blend of youth and experience, of fresh ideas and second chances.
Hackett’s hire is a calculated risk-they’re banking on his offensive mind returning to form in a new environment. Rallis gets another year to prove he can mold a young defense into something greater.
And Ghobrial steps into a role where impact can be felt quickly if things click.
The Cardinals still have plenty of work to do on the field, but with these coaching moves, they’re at least setting the table for what they hope is a turning point in their rebuild.