Broncos Announce 8 New Coaching Hires, Including Former SB50 Champ

The Denver Broncos have announced multiple additions to the coaching staff, as well as a few promotions. Sean Payton’s staff was heavily plundered during this offseason’s hiring cycle around the NFL, and while the news of a few hires had trickled out, the Broncos made them official on Thursday, as well as announcing several new additions and promotions.

The Broncos announced eight new coaching hires, including special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, whom the team confirmed back in February. The new big-name addition is former Broncos linebacker Todd Davis as a defensive quality control coach. Davis entered the league as a college free agent with the New Orleans Saints in 2014 before finding his way to the Broncos, where he’d go on to play six seasons and contribute to the team’s Super Bowl 50 championship.

Early on Thursday, we reported on Brian Neidermeyer joining as a defensive quality control assistant. The Broncos also hired Chris Morgan (assistant O-line), Evan Rothstein (director of game management/O-line assistant), Marwan Maalouf (assistant special teams), Zach Line (special teams quality control, and Taylor Porter (assistant strength and conditioning).

Breaking it up among promotions and title changes, we start with quarterbacks coach Davis Webb, who will now serve as offensive pass game coordinator on top of his current duties. Offensive line coach Zach Strief was promoted to offensive run game coordinator/assistant head coach, a big-time promotion.

Other title changes include Austin King going from assistant O-line to tight ends coach, as well as Rizzi also being named an assistant head coach. Jim Leonhard was promoted from secondary coach to defensive pass game coordinator/assistant head coach. Payton now has three assistant head coaches in Strief, Rizzi, and Leonhard — one in each phase of the game.

Other new titles include Addison Lynch (cornerbacks), Isaac Shewmaker (linebackers), and Shaun Snee (director of strength and conditioning). The Broncos’ strength and conditioning staff has done well under Payton, with Dan Dalrymple as the head man there, but Snee steps in above him as the director, a new title and position relative to this coaching staff.

Rothstein arrives after a four-year stint with the New England Patriots, including assistant quarterbacks coach and director of game management for the preceding two seasons. He spent nine seasons in Detroit previously.

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Morgan, a former Colorado Buffalo, arrives in Denver after spending three years with the Chicago Bears as their offensive line coach. He also shouldered the added load of being Chicago’s offensive run game coordinator last season and has experience with five previous NFL teams.

We’d heard buzz about the Broncos hiring Maalouf, and he’s quite the get for Rizzi. Maalouf has experience as a special teams coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings (2019-20) and the Indianapolis Colts (2012). He goes back with Rizzi to their time together with the Miami Dolphins from 2013-18. Before that, Maalouf spent seven seasons with two other NFL clubs (Baltimore and Cleveland)

Line is a former NFL fullback who spent time with Payton as a player in New Orleans for three years (2017-19). Porter was the Oregon Ducks’ associate head strength and conditioning coach last season, which was preceded by a four-year stay at Michigan State as its strength coach. Porter has also coached with four previous NFL teams.

Webb was linked to a few job openings around the NFL this offseason, but remained in Denver. I surmised then that it was likely due to the Broncos offering him an internal promotion, and now we know he’ll be the pass game coordinator on top of his quarterback duties, which he earned after coaching Bo Nix through his historic rookie campaign.

The next time Webb garners a look-see from outside teams in a hiring cycle, he’ll have actual coordinating experience on his resume, which will be helpful for his upward mobility, and the same goes for Payton’s long-time lieutenant and former player, Strief.

With Payton’s new coaching staff officially assembled, the Broncos can fully focus on pro personnel scouting with the new league year opening up next week and the upcoming NFL draft in April.

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