The Denver Broncos have fired head coach Nathaniel Hackett after under a year in charge.

A 51-14 Christmas Day defeat to the Los Angeles Rams left the Broncos 4-11 on the season, the joint-third worst record across the NFL, with Denver set for their seventh consecutive losing season.

Former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Hackett was hired in January for his first head coach position and was expected to produce improvements to a struggling offense, which saw quarterback Russell Wilson added to its ranks in March in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks.

However, performances have been disappointing, with the Broncos' points-per-game average of 15.5 standing as the lowest in the NFL.

The Broncos were thrashed 51-14 by the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, a result that proved the final straw.

In a statement, owner and CEO Gregg Penner said: "Following extensive conversations with George Paton and our ownership group, we determined a new direction would ultimately be in the best interest of the Broncos.

"This change was made out of respect for everyone involved and allows us to immediately begin the search for a new head coach.

"We recognise and appreciate this organisation'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.

"Moving forward, we will carefully evaluate every aspect of our football operations and make whatever changes are necessary to restore this franchise's winning tradition."

The Broncos finish the season with a road trip to face the Kansas City Chiefs and a home game against the Los Angeles Chargers.