Jets Replacing OC Nathaniel Hackett As Play-Caller With Assistant Todd Downing

Jets interim HC Jeff Ulbrich announced OC Nathaniel Hackett has been supplanted as the play-caller by senior assistant Todd Downing, per Zack Rosenblatt.

Former Jets HC Robert Saleh had been mulling this move before he was fired, and may or may not have already done it before he was axed depending on which report you go by. 

Either way, the big changes continue for a 2-3 Jets team that has underperformed to start the year, but still has a chance to seize first place in the AFC East with a win against the Bills on Monday night. 

Downing, 43, began his NFL coaching career as an offensive quality control coach with the Vikings back in 2005. He then served as a defensive assistant for the Rams before landing a spot with the Lions as an offensive quality control coach.

The Lions promoted him to QBs coach in 2011 before signing on with the Bills to the same position in 2014. The Raiders brought him on as their QBs coach in 2015 and promoted him to offensive coordinator in 2017 before he joined the Vikings as their new TEs coach. 

The Titans hired Downing as their TEs coach for the 2019 season and eventually promoted him to offensive coordinator in 2021. He was fired after the 2022 season, however, and joined the Jets’ coaching staff. 

In 2022, the Titans’ offense ranked No. 30 in total yards, No. 28 in points scored, No. 13 in rushing yards and No. 30 in passing yards.

Hackett, 43, began his NFL coaching career with the Buccaneers back in 2006 as an offensive quality control coach. After two years in Tampa Bay, the Bills hired him for the same position.

Hackett later became the QB/TEs coach at Syracuse and worked his way up to offensive coordinator a year later. After Doug Marrone was hired as the Bills’ head coach, Hackett returned to Buffalo as the team’s offensive coordinator.

Hackett followed Marrone to the Jaguars and served as their offensive coordinator for three seasons before being fired. He joined the Packers in 2019 and eventually was promoted to offensive coordinator before taking the Broncos head coaching job in 2022. 

Hackett finished with a 4-11 record in his first and only season with the Broncos. He was fired before the end of the season and joined the Jets as offensive coordinator in 2023. 

In 2023 under Hackett, the Jets were No. 31 in total offense, No. 29 in points per game, No. 30 in passing yards per game and No. 23 in rushing yards per game. 

We’ll have more on the Jets as the news is available.