Weeks of disappointing performances have finally caught up to Nathaniel Hackett, who the Denver Broncos fired on Monday.

The news comes a day after Denver was routed 51-14 by the Los Angeles Rams, their seventh consecutive loss.

From the jump, Hackett looked to be in over his head in his debut campaign in the Mile-High City, running down the clock in his head coaching debut against the Seattle Seahawks to try a 64-yard field goal which was missed sending his team to defeat.

It was only downhill from there for the former offensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Green Bay Packers who needed to fire a game manager following that debacle.

Even though Denver won their next two games following that coaching blunder, this team never looked like the divisional contender we thought they’d be.

For a man tabbed as an offensive guru and possessing a Super Bowl-winning quarterback in Russell Wilson, this group rarely delivered that killer blow that successful offenses do, scoring 20 points or less on 11 occasions.

The final straw was on Christmas Day in LA as Brett Rypien and Russell Wilson combined to throw four picks, and their defense, perhaps the only shining light for them this season, was scorched all game long by Baker Mayfield and the Rams.

There was also reportedly a heated exchange on the sidelines in the middle of that game, which perhaps should be no surprise given all of the issues and pent-up frustration we’d seen in Denver over the regular season.

With this firing, Hackett joins some exclusive company though perhaps not the kind he wants, becoming the 18th NFL head coach to be axed in his first season at the controls following in the footsteps of Urban Meyer, among others.

Team owner and CEO Greg Penner released a statement:

Hackett lasted 15 games as Broncos head coach going 4-11, as this franchise has not made the postseason since capturing Super Bowl 50 and will end the campaign with a sixth straight losing record.

Denver has two games remaining this season, at Arrowhead Stadium versus the Kansas City Chiefs next weekend before ending with a home game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Former Baltimore Ravens assistant Jerry Rosburg has been named the new head coach on an interim basis