Broncos Head-Coaching Interview Tracker
The Denver Broncos have officially begun the search for the team's 18th head coach. One day removed from firing Vic Fangio, GM George Paton worked quickly to get a handful of interview requests in with multiple candidates spanning the NFL coaching ranks.
This article will serve as Mile High Huddle's head-coaching interview tracker as we piece together all the reports and rumors of the Broncos' whirlwind search. Monday saw multiple reports of Denver interview requests sprout up across the league.
Let's start with the first one reported.
Jarod Mayo | ILB Coach | New England Patriots
Mark Brown/Getty Images
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported, and it has since been confirmed, that the Broncos put in a request to interview Mayo. Considered to be a "dynamic" coach and a "leader of men", the former first-round linebacker and World Champion is an intriguing option at age 36. But Bill Belichick's disciples rarely succeed outside the comfy environs of New England, with the exception of Tennessee's Mike Vrabel.
Here's what MHH's Zack Kelberman reported on Mayo:
Mayo, 36 (in February), is completing his third season on Bill Belichick's staff, spearheading a position group that features former All-Pro Dont'a Hightower and leading tackler Ja'Whaun Bentley. The 2008 Defensive Rookie of the Year was a career-long Patriot and won a Super Bowl playing for Belichick. Now groomed under him, Mayo is considered a rising star in league circles, potentially the next branch to sprout from Belichick's vast coaching tree.
Dan Quinn | Defensive Coordinator | Dallas Cowboys
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Ian Rapoport reported that Quinn, after all the smoke connecting Denver to Dallas' defensive coordinator, there is some fire at the base of it. Quinn leads a Cowboys defense that, to a man (purportedly), plays hard for its coach.
Quinn would be a head-coaching retread as the former Atlanta Falcons head man who led the team to its second-ever Super Bowl berth, losing in humiliating fashion to New England. Atlanta struggled after losing offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, and Quinn could do nothing to forestall his eventual dismissal.
However, despite being a defensive-minded coach, Quinn is an energetic and visionary leader whom the Broncos believe could help resuscitate this program. Paton is focused on leadership and a coach who can cultivate a winning culture and Quinn, who won a Super Bowl ring as defensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks in 2013, has those attributes in spades.
Kellen Moore | Offensive Coordinator | Dallas Cowboys
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
9NEWS' Mike Klis reported Denver's request to sit down with Moore. The Broncos have hired defensive-minded coaches in each of the past two cycles and most analysts believe it's time to get in line with NFL convention and bring a brilliant offensive guy to town. Moore would fit that bill, ostensibly, but he is on the young side.
At 33 years old, the Broncos wouldn't be hiring the youngest head coach in NFL history but you'd have to question Moore's youth and relative inexperience somewhat. However, he has an impressive track record in Dallas and has gotten the very best out of quarterback Dak Prescott.
As a former NFL signal-caller himself, Moore has 'QB whisperer' skins on the wall. And that will be very encouraging to fans.
Nathaniel Hackett | Offensive Coordinator | Green Bay Packers
MARK HOFFMAN/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL
Klis also broke the Hackett news. This could be a bit of a double-whammy hire for Denver if it meant improving the team's odds of luring Aaron Rodgers out of Green Bay.
Hackett's offense has been lauded the league over but he does have an ignominious history of being dismissed at previous offensive coordinator stops in Jacksonville and Buffalo. But he's relatively young and even if the Broncos didn't win the Rodgers sweepstakes, Hackett has some 'QB whisperer' bonafides
After all, Rodgers won his third NFL MVP award under Hackett in 2020 and is in the running to land his fourth.
UPDATE: The Broncos completed their interview with Hackett on Saturday and were "pleased" by the conversation.
Eric Bieniemy | Offensive Coordinator | Kansas City Chiefs
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Rapoport broke the Bieniemy news. This hire would make a lot of sense relative to Bieniemy's Colorado ties and his offensive resume.
He's also part of the team that developed Patrick Mahomes into the juggernaut quarterback he's become. However, Bieniemy has failed to land a head-coaching job in past interview cycles despite being the offensive coordinator for one of the most innovative and most-copied schemes in the NFL.
The former CU Buffalo running back would make a lot of sense for Denver.
Jonathan Gannon | Defensive Coordinator | Philadelphia Eagles
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Per Tom Pelissero, the Broncos want to talk with Gannon. Gannon is 39 and just came off his first year as a coordinator in the NFL.
The Broncos reportedly like his energy and, for lack of a better term, young mind. Gannon is on the defensive side of things but he's young and ostensibly open-minded.
Such a hire would require that Gannon absolutely nail the offensive coordinator hire. View Gannon as a kind of 2022 Brandon Staley-type darkhorse candidate.
Kevin O'Connell | Offensive Coordinator | Los Angeles Rams
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Rapoport broke the O'Connell news. This year's coveted Sean McVay acolyte, there's a lot to like about O'Connell.
The Rams offense has been its usually potent self. O'Connell has helped coordinate Matthew Stafford to arguably his best season as a pro.
O'Connell is a former quarterback and third-round pick out of San Diego State. He's only 36 years old and would check the 'QB whisperer' box (to an extent), offensive-minded, and energetic.
For a candidate who does not call 100% of the plays on gameday, O'Connell remains intriguing because he scripts up McVay's first 15 plays of every game and is in charge of game-planning offensively each week.
Aaron Glenn | Defensive Coordinator | Detroit Lions
Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Tom Pelissero first reported Denver's request. Glenn is another defensive-minded candidate and is in his first year as a coordinator in the NFL.
A former first-round cornerback who played a decade-plus in the NFL, Glenn has held multiple defensive backs coaching jobs before he got his coordinator break in Detroit. At 49, he's no spring chicken but he's known for having a lot of energy, or, as they say, 'juice.'
UPDATE: The Broncos completed their interview with Glenn on Thursday per Denver7's Troy Renck. It was Denver's first interview of the cycle.
Doug Pederson | Head Coach | ex-Philadelphia Eagles
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Jason La Canfora reported that Pederson will interview with Denver. The only man on this list to have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy as a head coach, it was only a few short years ago that Pederson led the Eagles to Super Bowl triumph.
Pederson's time in Philly ended abruptly as Carson Wentz unraveled and he was unceremoniously dumped by GM Howie Roseman. As a former Andy Reid acolyte, who better than Pederson to battle the Chiefs?
Luke Getsy | QBs Coach | Green Bay Packers
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Pelissero reported the Getsy request. Yet another Rodgers coach and a guy who arguably has more day-to-day exposure to the MVP quarterback, Getsy is another young, up-and-coming offensive mind.
The 37-year-old career college coach joined Matt LaFleur in 2019 as QBs coach in Green Bay. It was Getsy's first NFL gig.
Getsy was promoted to passing game coordinator/QBs coach ahead of the 2020 season and Rodgers went on to produce his third MVP campaign. Getsy, a former college quarterback himself, is interesting and so is Hackett, his direct superior.
UPDATE: The Broncos completed their interview with Getsy on Saturday.
Brian Callahan | OC | Cincinnati Bengals
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
First reported by the Denver Post's Ryan O'Halloran, Callahan has roots in the Mile High City. The son of legendary NFL O-line coach Bruce Callahan, Brian began his coaching career as an assistant under Josh McDaniels in Denver back in 2010.
Brian survived that coaching turnover to work for John Fox and Gary Kubiak before departing to Detroit to become a QBs coach. Since Zac Taylor was hired as head coach in Cincinnati back in 2019, Callahan has served as offensive coordinator.
Callahan is only 37 years old and has fingerprints on the development of QB Joe Burrow, who took the NFL by storm in 2021. Callahan has a glowing reputation as a young up-and-comer and his Denver ties are conspicuous.
Note: Keep checking back to this article as we will be updating it in real-time as news of Denver's coaching search unfolds.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.
Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.
Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!
