Nathaniel Hackett’s first stint as an NFL head coach didn’t go according to plan. After a Week 16 loss to the struggling Rams moved the Broncos to 4-11 on the season, Denver fired its first-year head coach on December 26.
Now the offensive coordinator for the Jets, Hackett has drawn praise this Saturday from a receiver who hasn’t even played a snap for the New York franchise.
Allen Lazard, signed by the Jets earlier this week, reportedly said at his introductory press conference that Hackett is “best teacher I’ve ever had in my life.”
Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith first reported on Lazard’s comments early Saturday morning.
Jets' Allen Lazard calls Nathaniel Hackett "The best teacher I've ever had in my life." https://t.co/12VqNI5NPJ
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 18, 2023
Hackett and Lazard spent three years together in Green Bay when the ex-Broncos head coach served as the Packers offensive coordinator. After struggling to see the field as a rookie in 2018, Lazard first made an impact in Hackett’s offense the following season.
Appearing in all 16 games in 2019, Lazard caught 35 passes for 477 yards and three touchdowns. The next year, 2020, he put up similar numbers – 33 receptions, 451 receiving yards and three touchdown grabs.
Lazard’s true breakout campaign, though, came during the 2021 season. In what happened to be Hackett’s final year as the Packers’ OC, Lazard posted 513 receiving yards but bumped his touchdown total up to eight. Despite tallying more receiving yards in 2022, Lazard’s eight-score 2021 campaign remains a career high.
Expect Lazard to complement an already solid Jets receiving core this fall.
Best NFL Jersey Shop – #Jets #Receiver #Allen #Lazard #High #Praise #Nathaniel #Hackett
Publish Date:2023-03-19 02:53:58
