Getty
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton celebrates after beating the Kansas City Chiefs.
Successful teams lose pieces; players and coaches. The Denver Broncos will almost certainly see several more players leave this coming offseason, and they could also lose one or two coaches. Broncos head coach Sean Payton is ensconced.
However, two of his assistants – Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and senior personnel executive David Shaw – are drawing interest from the Chicago Bears.
Word broke first about the Bears’ and New York Jets’ interest in Joseph.
“The Jets and Bears have expressed interest in Broncos DC Vance Joseph for their head coaching openings, according to sources familiar with the searches,” The Athletic’s Michael Silver reported on X on January 6.
Joseph is also drawing interest from the Miami Dolphins, per NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe on January 6.
https://twitter.com/JamesPalmerTV/status/1876363002808836097
Joseph has turned the Broncos’ defense around under Payton in his second stint with the franchise. Joseph was previously the Broncos head coach in 2017 and 2018.
He is eager for another opportunity.
“He’s everything. Perseverance,” Broncos defensive tackle DJ Jones said about Joseph’s impact, per Underdog Fantasy’s James Palmer on X on January 6. “He’s been the reason we’ve dominated.”
Palmer noted Joseph’s desire to return to the head coaching ranks, the Broncos’ defensive turnaround, and that the initial stint “wasn’t a real shot.”
Denver Broncos on SI’s Nick Kendell defended Joseph before this round of speculation.
“A coach in the NFL is typically only ever as good as the quarterback he is tied to during his tenure. With Trevor Siemian and Case Keenum being the prominent two quarterbacks during Joseph’s time in Denver, it’s hard to fault him for the Broncos failing to field a very good football team,” Kendell wrote in November.
“There’s a reason the league has heard next to nothing from those two quarterbacks following their time in Denver. They had their blips and good stories, but they were far from quality NFL starting quarterbacks in the league.”
Broncos Assistant David Shaw a Respected College Coach
GettyFormer Stanford Cardinal head coach David Shaw looks on from the sidelines against the Washington State Cougars.
“The #Bears have requested to interview former #Stanford coach and currently #Broncos Senior Personnel Executive David Shaw for their vacant HC position, source said,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on X on January 6.
Despite Shaw’s highly-regarded resume, there are strong doubts he is a legitimate candidate.
“I covered the #Pac12 for a long time. I loved David Shaw,” the Chicago Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley posted on X in reaction to the report. “But no way he gets this job.”
Some of the most successful college coaches have struggled to transition to the NFL and vice versa. Shaw has also been out of the head coaching ranks for two full seasons, last roaming the sidelines for Stanford in 2022.
Most people taking a critical eye to this lengthy, lengthy list of Bears HC candidates can quickly identify a handful of “no chance” applicants.
So what’s the goal?
Perhaps some Zoom intel-gathering sessions will prove enlightening and informative on certain big-picture…
However, he does have NFL experience.
Shaw was an assistant for the Baltimore Ravens working with quarterbacks and wide receivers from 2002-2005.
Shaw and Payton crossed paths before the Broncos. Both were on the Philadelphia Eagles in 1997 and the former also spent time with the then-Oakland Raiders. He was a quality control coach at both stops and had quarterbacks in his purview with the Raiders.
Sean Payton: Replacement Bears QB Turned Broncos HC
GettyDenver Broncos head coach Sean Payton watches game action against the Chicago Bears.
The Jets are searching for a new head coach and general manager, and also face uncertainty at quarterback with Aaron Rodgers a retirement risk. Young star wide receiver Garrett Wilson has also emerged as a potential trade candidate in the wake of a 5-12 season.
The Bears have their general manager, Ryan Poles, in place. He is conducting the team’s search for its next head coach.
They also have the 2024 No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams, at QB.
Williams was a favorite prospect of Payton’s long before the former was draft-eligible. Moreover, both Joseph and Shaw were close enough to witness the QB in college. Shaw’s Cardinal lost to Williams’ USC Trojans 41-28 in 2022.
Williams completed 74.1% of his passes for 341 yards and 4 touchdowns with 0 interceptions in the contest.
Joseph was the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals – Pac-12 country – in 2022.
The Bears also have a connection to Payton, who is from Naperville, Illinois, and attended college at Eastern Illinois University. Payton played three games for the Bears during the lockout season in 1987.
The Broncos coach went 8-for-23 (34.8%) for 79 yards, 0 TDs and 1 INT. After leaving EIU in 1986, the ‘87 campaign was Payton’s only season in the NFL as a player.
He joined the coaching ranks in 1988 as an offensive assistant at San Diego State University.
Josh Buckhalter covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He has covered both leagues since 2016, including bylines at FanSided, Last Word on Sports and Clocker Sports. He's based in Villa Park, Illinois. Follow Josh on Twitter and Instagram: @JoshGBuck More about Josh Buckhalter
English (US) ·