Report: Jerry Rosburg 'May Be Back' With Broncos
The Denver Broncos parted ways on Wednesday with former interim coach Jerry Rosburg, but according to a later report, that doesn't necessarily mean his time is up in the Mile High City. Ian Rapoport revealed additional context to the Rosburg news.
"Broncos interim coach and special assistant Jerry Rosburg was part of a procedural move to terminate with an expiring contract, but my understanding is he’s well regarded and may be back with Denver with new leadership," Rapoport tweeted.
Rosburg got the taste for coaching once again when he was called out of retirement by Broncos GM George Paton to help the floundering Nathaniel Hackett. Of course, Hackett was subsequently relieved of his duties with only two weeks left in the season after a 51-point humiliation on Christmas Day. Rosburg assumed temporary charge and restored some degree of pride by beating the Los Angeles Chargers and narrowly losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Having a detail-oriented father figure type of coach in the locker room worked wonders for the rudderless Broncos, and Rosburg has earned the respect of those further up in the organization. During his end-of-season meeting with Broncos ownership, Rosbug presented his vision for the franchise, with the hope it lands him the head-coaching gig.
Rosburg's resume, one imagines, remains in the hands of majority owner Rob Walton and CEO Greg Penner as the search for the Broncos 'Mr. Right' rumbles on.
Just before the conclusion of the season, Rosburg spoke about the team's ownership, and he touched on their positive vision for the future.
“I see a number of things in place that would give hope and give people faith that we are going to get to that point of the promise land where this all is going to bloom,” Rosburg insisted just prior to the season-ending win over the Chargers. “It starts at the top. I have been so impressed by the ownership group. Greg [Penner], [Owner] Carrie [Walton Penner] and Mr. Rob [Walton] are incredible people with an uncanny vision of football and an understanding of it that comes from outside the industry. I’ve been around some owners that came into the league—[Ravens Owner] Steve Biscotti is kind of a parallel to this ownership group.”
The Walton/Penner ownership group is still in the midst of considering all the viable options available to them. So in the meantime, contractual issues will be cleaned up as the incumbent coaches are allowed to explore other options elsewhere.
When the new HC finally is confirmed, Rosburg may well find himself in the frame for a return to the Broncos - most likely with the remit to fix the special teams units. That's a decision for the new head coach to ultimately make when he comes to assembling a new coaching staff, but Rosburg’s vast experience would ostensibly check a lot of boxes for a great many head coaches out there.
As for the possibility that Rosburg becomes the shock hire of this year's coaching cycle, that hugely unlikely scenario remains fanciful at best, even if he's actively reached out to the folks who can make coaching dreams happen.
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