What the Latest HC Hires Mean for Vance Joseph's Broncos Future

The last two NFL head-coaching jobs have been filled, but where does that leave Vance Joseph?

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 17: Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph looks on before the AFC Divisional Round game against the Buffalo Bills at Empower Field at Mile High on January 17, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. | Dustin Bradford / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

With the Las Vegas Raiders set to hire Klint Kubiak and the Arizona Cardinals hiring Mike LaFleur, the last two NFL head-coaching vacancies have been filled. The music finally stopped, and Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph was left without a chair, despite interviewing for several vacancies around the NFL.

That's tough for Joseph, who harbors aspirations for getting a second bite at the head-coaching apple, but it's good news for the Broncos. It's especially fortuitous after Denver's DC-in-waiting, Jim Leonhard, took the actual job with the Buffalo Bills.

Had Joseph gotten one of the final two head-coaching gigs, Sean Payton would be left scrambling to find not only a new defensive coordinator, but also a secondary coach/pass game coordinator. There's good reason to believe, though, that Leonhard knew how these last two dominoes were going to fall before accepting Joe Brady's offer to become defensive coordinator of the Bills.

Joseph, 53, sticks around in Denver for what will be his fourth year as defensive coordinator. Year 3 was a phenomenal ride, and Joseph's defense played a pivotal part in the Broncos winning 14 games and the AFC West crown for the first time in a decade, clinching the No. 1 seed in the conference.

Joseph's defense finished first in the NFL in sacks, red-zone efficiency, and yards per play, second in third-down efficiency, net yards per game, and against the run, third in scoring, and seventh against the pass. It was the best defense in football, although the Houston Texans gave Denver a run for its money.

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A Winning Performance in the AFC Title Game

Jan 25, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) tackles New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the second half in the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

With a little help from the elements, Joseph's defense limited New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye to just 86 yards passing in the AFC championship game. The high-flying Patriots offense was held to just 206 total yards and 10 points.

Alas, the second-half blizzard, a bad fourth-down call early in the game by Payton, and two missed field-goal attempts conspired to waste the Broncos' excellent defensive showing in the AFC title game.

The Broncos' season came to a bitter end, informed greatly by the football tragedy of losing quarterback Bo Nix just days before the AFC championship game. But the core of the coaching staff and roster will return to make another Super Bowl run in 2026.

Joseph will return, and it looks as if Davis Webb will, too, likely in the promoted position of offensive coordinator. Nix returns, along with the entire Broncos offensive line, and all of the key skill-position players, minus, perhaps, running back J.K. Dobbins, though that hasn't been decided yet.

Defensively, Joseph will retain most of his starters. There are some questions, with linebackers Justin Strnad and Alex Singleton hitting free agency, along with defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers and nickel cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian, the latter of whom, though, is a restricted free agent and still under team control.

Payton will make a few well-placed hires to fill the vacancies on his coaching staff, and the Broncos will be off to the races for the 2026 offseason. NFL free agency opens in March, followed by the draft at the end of April, then it's back to the grindstone with the offseason training program.

The Takeaway

The Broncos retain Joseph, who has become one of the top defensive coordinators in the NFL. His leadership and contributions to the Broncos' winning culture cannot be overstated.

Some Broncos fans will lament the opportunity to net two third-round compensatory draft picks had Joseph been hired to be a head coach. But in the same way that Payton was more than worth the first and second-round draft picks the Broncos relinquished to New Orleans to secure his coaching rights, Joseph, as defensive coordinator, is more valuable than two third-round comp picks.