The NFL coaching carousel is in full spin, and this offseason’s version feels more like a three-team trade deadline scramble than a traditional reshuffling. What started with Jeff Hafley’s surprising move to Miami has quickly turned into a cross-country coaching migration that now includes Green Bay, Arizona, and a few familiar names caught in the whirlwind.
Let’s start at the top: Hafley left Boston College to take over as head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Almost immediately, he began assembling his staff by pulling several assistants from Matt LaFleur’s crew in Green Bay.
That includes Nathaniel Hackett, who had been working as a defensive analyst under LaFleur. Hafley brought Hackett to Miami to coach quarterbacks-at least, for now.
Because as quickly as Hackett arrived in South Florida, he might already be on the move again.
Hackett to Arizona?
According to reports, the Arizona Cardinals-who just hired Mike LaFleur (Matt’s brother) as their new head coach-are considering Hackett as a candidate for their offensive coordinator role. That would mark Hackett’s third team in the span of a week. From Green Bay to Miami to, potentially, Arizona.
It’s a full-circle moment if it happens. Hackett worked under Matt LaFleur as offensive coordinator with the Packers, where he was known for his creative red-zone packages-the so-called “Gold Zone”-and for bringing an infectious energy to the building.
That stint helped launch him into a head coaching role with the Broncos, though that chapter didn’t go as planned. A rocky season in Denver and a tough follow-up with the Jets dented his stock, but around the league, Hackett is still respected as an experienced play-caller with a proven ability to connect with players.
For Mike LaFleur, who’s stepping into his first head coaching job, bringing in a veteran like Hackett could be a stabilizing move. It would give him a coordinator who’s been in the seat before, knows the rhythm of game planning at the NFL level, and has worked closely with quarterbacks in multiple systems.
A Coaching Carousel with Familiar Faces
This isn’t just a story about Hackett. It’s about the broader web of coaching movement that’s taken over the NFL in early February.
After Hafley raided Green Bay, the Packers responded by tapping into Arizona’s coaching ranks. They hired Jonathan Gannon-formerly the Cardinals’ head coach-as their new defensive coordinator.
Gannon didn’t come alone; he brought Sam Siefkes along as linebackers coach. Green Bay has also reportedly interviewed Connor Senger, Arizona’s passing game coordinator, for their vacant quarterbacks coach role.
That’s a lot of Arizona-to-Green Bay movement for a Cardinals team that just went 3-14. But in the NFL, coaching hires are often more about fit, relationships, and shared philosophy than win-loss records. Gannon, for all the struggles in Arizona, is still respected for his defensive mind, and the Packers clearly believe he can help reshape their unit.
Meanwhile, over in Pittsburgh, Mike McCarthy is quietly rebuilding his 2018 Packers staff. That’s sparked some speculation about whether a reunion with Aaron Rodgers could be in the cards down the line, though that’s a story for another day.
What’s Next?
If Hackett does land in Arizona, it would be one of the more ironic twists of the offseason. From working for Matt LaFleur in Green Bay, to joining Hafley in Miami, to potentially reuniting with the LaFleur family under Mike in Arizona-it’s a coaching journey that feels like it was drawn up by a Madden franchise mode on shuffle.
But for all the chaos, there’s a method to the madness. Teams are looking for familiarity, chemistry, and proven experience.
Hackett checks those boxes. So do Gannon and Siefkes in Green Bay.
And Hafley, by pulling from LaFleur’s staff, is clearly trying to import a culture he believes in.
We’re barely a month into the offseason, and already the coaching landscape has shifted dramatically. If this is just the beginning, buckle up. The NFL’s version of musical chairs is far from over.