NFL Rumors: Sean Payton and controversial Chiefs coach named among favorites to land Broncos HC job after Nathaniel Hackett sacking

The Denver Broncos sacked Nathaniel Hackett following a humiliating 51-14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Christmas Day. With the news still hot, rumors about who the new head coach might be have already started to swing.

Favorites for the job include Sean Payton, Dan Quinn, and Eric Bieniemy.

The Denver Broncos fired Nathaniel Hackett with two games left in his first season with the team. He posted a 4-11 record and the Broncos never stood a realistic chance of making the playoffs.

Interested in betting? Monday Night Football's matchup between the Chargers and the Colts promises some action.

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Nathaniel Hackett fired: Who can replace him?

Some important names in NFL circles are already being discussed as substitutes for Hackett, who did not last a full season.

A favorite seems to be Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who was interviewed for the head coach job in the previous cycle. While he missed out on the job, he left a good impression on general manager George Paton and the rest of the front office. A good season with the Dallas Cowboys also helped his case.

Two other names include former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton and Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

Darrell Bevell, DeMeco Ryans, and Shane Steichen are other names initially monitored by the organization, according to a report.

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Why did the Broncos fire Nathaniel Hackett so quickly?

Nathaniel Hackett hasn't seemed prepared to be a head coach this year.

There have been very few positives to Hackett's tenure, and his decisions were questioned from his first to his last game. In-game management was a problem from the start and the team never played up to expectations, with Denver boasting one of the worst offensive numbers in the league.

Hackett also never got the best out of Russell Wilson, the quarterback for whom the team traded a boatload of draft picks in March. With the offense struggling, the final straw was the 51-14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Christmas Day. Broncos players openly fought on the sidelines, making for a shameful display from start to finish.

It's rare for a team to cut a head coach in the middle of his first season, but Hackett's situation was indeed disastrous.