John Elway said earlier in the week that the Denver Broncos are not considering any of their own assistants for their head coaching position, but it sounds like previous head coaching experience is not a prerequisite for the job.
Alex Marvez of Sporting News reports that Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is the front-runner for the Broncos job. In fact, Marvez describes the position as “his to lose.”
#Dolphins DC Vance Joseph hasn't interviewed 4 @Broncos HC job yet but I'm told his to lose. CU Buffs connection w/Broncos exec Matt Russell
— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) January 4, 2017
This is Joseph’s first season as a defensive coordinator. He spent the previous 10 years as a defensive backs coach for the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers. Joseph began his coaching career with the Niners after playing two seasons as a cornerback for the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts.
According to another report, the 49ers wanted to make Joseph their defensive coordinator in 2015 but the Bengals would not allow him to interview with San Francisco. The Niners are now expected to interview Joseph for their head coaching vacancy, as well.
There has been some speculation that the Broncos are interested in bringing in a candidate with deep family ties to the organization, but perhaps Elway wants to add another defensive mind to a team with a championship-caliber defense.
