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Dec. 27 (UPI) -- The Denver Broncos fired head coach Nathaniel Hackett, special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes and offensive line coach Butch Barry, the team announced. Broncos owner and CEO Greg Penner announced the Hackett firing Monday afternoon. The team announced the Stukes and Barry dismissals Monday night.
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Senior assistant Jerry Rosburg will take over as interim head coach for the rest of the season.
The Broncos are 4-11 this season and sit in last place in the AFC West. They have the No. 5 defense, but rank 26th offensively and last in points scored.
"Following extensive conversations with [general manager] George Paton and our ownership group, we determined a new direction would ultimately be in the best interest of the Broncos," Penner said in a news release.
"This change was made now out of respect for everyone involved and allows us to immediately begin the search for a new head coach.
"We recognize and appreciate this organization's championship history, and we understand we have not met that standard. Our fans deserve much better, and I can't say enough about their loyalty during such a challenging stretch for our team."
Penner said the Broncos will "carefully evaluate every aspect" of football operations and make "whatever changes are necessary" to restore the "franchise's winning tradition."
Penner also said he will lead the search, alongside Paton and other members of the ownership group.
Former Walmart chairman Rob Walton, Penner and the Broncos ownership group purchased the franchise in June for $4.65 billion, the most expensive price in North American sports franchise history.
The ownership group also includes Walton's daughter and Penner's wife -- Carrie Walton Penner -- and Ariel Investments co-CEO Mellody Hobson, who also is chairwoman of the board at Starbucks and a director at JP Morgan Chase.
The Broncos won three Super Bowls -- in 1998, 1999 and 2016 -- over the 38-year tenure of previous owner Pat Bowlen.
They haven't made the playoffs since that 2015-16 Super Bowl run.
The Broncos will face the Kansas City Chiefs at 1 p.m. EST Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. They will host the Los Angeles Chargers in their final game of the season Jan. 8 at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver.
