Broncos Coaching Staff Tracker: Hirings, Firings & Promotions

The Denver Broncos' coaching staff has had some turnover this offseason. The Broncos lost several key assistants to outside hires, but tis the hiring season around the NFL.

Even with a stable coaching regime led by Sean Payton, there are tweaks to the staff every year. The biggest problem a winning coach like Payton has is retaining his asssitants when the NFL hiring cycle comes around every January.

However, so long as Payton remains the head coach, the Broncos can afford to lose any coach and keep on trucking. That's not to diminish the importance of the coordinators or the position coaches, but there's a reason Payton is the head man.

This article will serve as our Broncos coaching tracker. This team has several positions left to fill, and we'll chronicle those hires as they happen. We'll list the Broncos' hires, the coaches they lost, and the key assistants Payton retained or promoted.

Firings

Joe Lombardi | OC

Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi (L) and offensive assistant Pete Carmichael (R). — Jul 24, 2025; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi (L) and offensive assistant Pete Carmichael (R) during Denver Broncos Training Camp. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Broncos fired Lombardi two days after losing to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game. Lombardi said later that Payton was in a "mood" that day.

Update: Lombardi landed with the Baltimore Ravens as a senior offensive assistant under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, also a former Sean Payton acolyte.

Keary Colbert | WRs Coach

The Broncos let Colbert go after the team finished with the second-most dropped passes in the NFL. Payton aired his frustrations over the drops for two days before firing Colbert.

Addison Lynch | CBs Coach

It's unclear exactly why Lynch was let go, as the Broncos' cornerbacks excelled this past season. Patrick Surtain II garnered Pro Bowl accolades while nickel corner Ja'Quan McMillian turned in an All-Pro-caliber season.

Coaches Hired Away

Jim Leonhard | Defensive Pass Game Coordinator

Denver Broncos secondary coach and pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard coaches safety P.J. Locke (6) during the offseason training program. | Ben Swanson/Denver Broncos

When defensive coordinator Vance Joseph didn't get a head-coaching job elsewhere, Leonhard accepted the Buffalo Bills' defensive coordinator position. It's Leonhard's first DC job in the NFL.

Pete Carmichael | Senior Offensive Assistant

New Bills head coach Joe Brady raided the Broncos' coaching staff for both his coordinator positions, hiring Carmichael to be his OC. Carmichael has worked with Payton for all but a couple of seasons since 2006, but he departs for Upstate New York.

It's unclear whether Payton plans to replace the senior offensive assistant role.

Zack Grossi | Pass Game Specialist

Grossi was hired by the Baltimore Ravens to coach their tight ends.

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Coach Hirings/Promotions

Davis Webb | OC

Replacing Lombardi at offensive coordinator is Webb, whom the Broncos officially promoted to the position on Monday after also interviewing outside candidates, including Buffalo's Ronald Curry and Washington's Brian Johnson. With Webb taking over as OC, the Broncos also needed to hire a new quarterbacks coach.

Logan Kilgore | QBs Coach

Kilgore was promoted from being an offensive quality control guy to quarterbacks coach. A seven-year coaching veteran and former quarterback, Kilgore now takes over the day-to-day coaching of Bo Nix and company.

Doug Belk | Secondary

The Broncos are hiring USC's Doug Belk to coach the secondary. Belk is regarded as one of the "rising stars" collegiate-level coaching.

At 38 years old, Belk is a former quarterback who's been coaching since 2011. This will be his first NFL job.

Coaching Vacancies

Offense

Wide receivers coach
Offensive pass game coordinator
Senior offensive assistant

Keep an eye on John Morton, who served as Payton's pass game coordinator for two seasons in Denver before taking an OC job last year with the Detroit Lions. After one year, Detroit moved on from Morton, and Payton hired him as a consultant for the playoffs.

With Webb getting promoted to OC, it wouldn't be a shock to see Morton rehired as the pass game coordinator.

Defense

Defensive pass game coordinator
Secondary coach
Cornerbacks coach

Leonhard served as the secondary coach in 2024 before being promoted to defensive pass game coordinator/assistant head coach in 2025. That's when Payton assigned Lynch to coach the cornerbacks, so Leonhard had a day-to-day helper.

Will the Broncos hire just one secondary coach? Leonhard held two positions, but the Broncos could solve all three vacancies with a single hire, if it's the right coach.