The day after Mike LaFleur was introduced as the next head coach of the Cardinals, the first person linked to his offensive coordinator role was Nathaniel Hackett.
Moments before Hackett was introduced to the media on Wednesday, LaFleur spoke.
"If you guys believe one thing from this press conference it is, literally, I wanted him and nobody else," LaFleur said. "And he's here."
The tandem of LaFleur and Hackett has been over a decade in the making. Dating back to 2015, when Hackett -- as Jacksonville's QB coach -- and LaFleur's brother, Matt -- the Falcons QB coach -- would interview quarterbacks at the combine and not too far away was Mike speaking to the wide receiver prospects as a Falcons offensive assistant.
Since then, Hackett has spent time working with Matt in Green Bay, most recently serving as defensive assistant last season. While there are differences between the LaFleur brothers, Hackett said there are similarities -- "which is amazing."
The biggest parallel is that Hackett gets to be the offensive coordinator for Mike in his first year with the Cardinals, just as he was the offensive coordinator during Matt's first season with the Packers.
"Through all of the experiences that I've had, up and down, I think that most things that you grow from are some of the adversity that you go through, and heck, we all go through it," Hackett said. "But as long as you get something from it, it's so key. To be able to pass that knowledge on to Mike to help him maybe not do some of things I've done and do some of the things I've done, you get to just continually learn and grow."
Hackett alluded to his time as the Broncos head coach in 2022 and throughout his tenure as offensive coordinator with the Jets from 2023-24. His experience as a head coach, albeit for one season, will be a valuable resource as LaFleur finds himself calling the shots for the first time.
But like Hackett experienced, it's an unpredictable job.
"You never understand what it's going to be like until you're in that chair, and for Mike, there's going to be some things that are going to come up that you never would have thought," Hackett said. "From my standpoint, it's going to be great to be able to try to warn him for some of those things that might show up."
As LaFleur puts the final touches on the coaching staff, he's already seen a glimpse of the challenges a head coach might endure. Once the focus shifts to game planning and fielding a roster, a new set of situations will arise. With LaFleur calling the offensive plays, Hackett's veteran voice can serve other areas.
"It's setting the table, setting the menu, having great energy around the building, having great communication when I'm doing stuff with the defense and when I'm doing stuff with (general manager Monti Ossenfort)," LaFleur said. "It's such an important role because of all the things I just said."
While LaFleur will be the playcaller, the foundation will be built alongside Hackett, adding that the two have a similar philosophical approach. In Hackett's eyes, the game revolves around explosive plays and efficiency.
It's a shared belief that LaFleur sought out from the moment he was hired.
"We're not going to be Green Bay, we're not going to be the Rams, we're not going to the Niners," LaFleur said. "We're going to be us, whatever us becomes. Again, our foundations are very similar. We see the game very similar. I'm excited to piece it together with him."
