Broncos' DBs Coach Selected For Coveted NFL Coaching Program
On Wednesday, it was announced that Denver Broncos secondary coach Christian Parker has been selected for the NFL's Coach Accelerator program. Last year, then-defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero was selected to represent the Broncos in the inaugural program.
Whatever Evero learned, it seemed to help him, as his coaching star burned bright enough by season's end to be a viable, sought-after head-coaching candidate around the league. He didn't end up landing a head coach job, but he interviewed in multiple cities, ultimately departing Denver to become the Carolina Panthers' defensive coordinator.
Evero will hope to coordinate the Panthers to level that will put his hat back in the NFL ring come hiring time. But opportunity doesn't always knock twice, especially after he rebuffed the Broncos' offer to remain as defensive coordinator under Sean Payton.
The Coach Accelerator program will take place in Minneapolis on May 21-23 while the Spring League Meetings take place. According to the Broncos, the program's mission is to "increase exposure between owners, executives, and diverse coaching talent, providing ample opportunity to develop and build upon their relationships."
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“In the year since its inception, we've been encouraged by the positive response to the Accelerator from both club owners and participants,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said via statement. “We look forward to continuing to build on an incredible program that supports diverse talent.”
Parker is a coach with some cache. He arrived in Denver under Vic Fangio's staff as a DBs coach back in 2021 and now has 10 years of coaching experience that spans the NFL and NCAA.
It's something of a marvel to see any position coach survive three different head-coaching regimes, but Parker has managed it with Fangio, Nathaniel Hackett, and now Payton. It calls to mind the long tenure of former Broncos D-line coach Bill Kollar, who worked under Gary Kubiak, Vance Joseph, and Fangio, before serving in a senior advisor-type role for Hackett, helping new D-line coach Marcus Dixon.
Parker enters Year 3 with the Broncos and he has a few skins on the wall. The only players to garner any postseason accolades last year came from Parker's unit — cornerback Patrick Surtain II (All-Pro/Pro Bowl) and safety Justin Simmons (All-Pro/second team).
The Broncos finished as the No. 12 passing defense last year and tied for the 15th-most interceptions with 10. Considering that Denver had next-to-no pass rush last year, that was quite the feat, and while Evero deserves the lion's share of the credit, Parker is owed some, too.
Thanks, in part, to Parker's coaching, the Broncos fielded the second-best third-down defense, allowing opponents to move the chains on just 34.1% of attempts. Parker is 31 years old.
It'll be interesting to see how Parker's unit fares in 2023, with two draft picks invested in defensive backs, including cornerback Riley Moss and safety JL Skinner. With last year's fourth-rounder Damarri Mathis and nickel K'Waun Williams, the Broncos cornerback depth chart features three guys at the top who can hold their own, including Surtain.
Mathis will be pushed, however, by Moss, for the starting boundary corner job opposite Surtain. It'll be fun to see how it all shakes out and how Parker's influence helps the secondary continue to flourish.
Who knows? If all goes well this year, perhaps Parker will be able to garner some interest around the league as a defensive coordinator candidate.
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