Zach Allen Gives Props to Broncos Coach After $102M Extension

On the heels of signing a four-year, $102 million contract extension, Denver Broncos defensive end Zach Allen was in a good mood at the podium on Saturday. The second-team All-Pro signed his contract earlier that day, then went out onto the practice field to dominate during the Broncos' two-hour scrimmage.

After practice, Allen talked about his mentors — like former two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt — and others who've influenced him or impacted where he's at in his career. Another one of those names is Vance Joseph.

When Joseph accepted the defensive coordinator position with the Broncos — the same team with whom he served as head coach from 2017-2018 — it was a beacon to Allen, whom the Arizona Cardinals were about to allow to hit the open market. Joseph was hired by Sean Payton in January of 2023, and in March, Allen arrived on a three-year deal.

If Joseph doesn't take this job and return to the Mile High City, Allen might not be a Bronco today.

“I’m forever grateful to Vance. He gave me my start in Arizona, and he was a major reason why I came here," Allen said on Saturday. "So to be able to share these milestones across the way with him has meant a lot. That’s kind of the cool thing about this... To be able to have a guy like Vance believe in me year after year and help me day after day. He’s been incredible and I’m forever grateful of him.”

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Allen was a Cardinals third-round pick out of Boston College back in 2019, Joseph's first year as defensive coordinator there. All six of Allen's NFL seasons have been spent with Joseph as his coordinator — four in Arizona and two now in Denver.

Allen was good in Arizona, which is where he was also mentored by Watt when the latter was still playing, but he became great in Denver. Why that is? It's hard to say, but the Broncos have relied on Allen as the fulcrum of the front seven now in each of his two seasons.

Allen played north of 900 snaps in 2023 and 2024. This past season, he produced 8.5 sacks and 61 tackles — both career highs. As an interior defender, he deserved a Pro Bowl nod, but wasn't voted in.

The Associated Press recognized him as an All-Pro, albeit on the second team. But it was the first accolade of Allen's career. Now, he's the third-highest-paid interior defender in the NFL. You know what they say about he who laughs last.

“It’s a blessing. A lot of work went into it. God’s put a lot of great people in my life that helped me get here and it can’t be stated enough how blessed I am," Allen said. "The people, not just with this process but my whole career, that have kind of helped me through the ups and downs, facing adversity, making it here—that’s obviously not probably your stereotypical career, the trajectory of it—but we’re here, and we’re in a great spot."

Allen hopes that his success, and garnering the third contract of his NFL career, can inspire others in the Broncos locker room.

"Hopefully, it serves as an inspiration to others that no matter where you start, it’s where you finish and just keep grinding through taking it day-by-day and brick-by-brick," Allen said. "That’s what I’ve done.”

Allen is a bricklayer, no doubt about it. In fact, it can be argued that he's the brick, the foundation upon which Joseph is building his top-five defense last year into the NFL's very best unit.

"I just love what we’re building here, and I just can’t state that enough. It’s all about the culture here," Allen said. "It really is a blessing to be part of the Denver Broncos organization [and] be living in Denver. I’m just highly blessed, and it’s a great day.”

With two extensions within a week of each other, the Broncos are cooking with gas. Sean Payton is happy to see both wide receiver Courtland Sutton and Allen get paid because of what they mean to the locker room and the Broncos' success on gameday.

“I’m excited for him [Allen]," Payton said on Saturday. "You get an exceptional player also with the make-up, much like Courtland... He’s excited, and I think the players genuinely are excited for him when they see that something like that happens. So that’s a good thing for the Broncos.”

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