Sean Payton lures longtime assistant coach out of retirement

Feb 6, 2023; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton speaks at the UCHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton is getting the band back together on his coaching staff, and that even includes some who had seemingly called it quits.

Payton was able to lure longtime defensive assistant Joe Vitt out of retirement to join his staff in Denver, according to Mike Klis of 9 News. Vitt will take on the role of senior defensive assistant in his first coaching job in three years.

The 68-year-old Vitt worked with Payton in New Orleans from 2006 through 2016 and was one of Payton’s most trusted assistants. Vitt served as the interim head coach of the Saints for 10 games in 2011 while Payton recovered from a broken leg. Primarily a linebackers coach, Vitt also earned some notoriety for going all-out while chasing down car thieves in 2015.

Payton has not been shy about using his Saints connections to bring people to the Broncos. He has done it frequently on the playing side too since becoming Denver’s new head coach.