ARAPAHOE COUNTY - The Denver Broncos have hired former Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio as the new defensive coordinator, 9NEWS has confirmed.
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The team hired Del Rio on Friday. He left Jacksonville earlier this season. During his nine seasons as head coach, he had an overall 69-73 record and took the Jaguars to the playoffs twice.
The Broncos previous defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen, was recently hired to be the head coach of the Oakland Raiders.
During his one season with the Broncos, Allen oversaw a dramatic defensive turnaround. The Broncos defense went from one of the worst in the NFL, allowing 29.4 points and 390.8 yards a game, to the AFC West title. This season, the Broncos allowed 357.8 yards a game (20th) and 24.4 points per game (24th).
The Broncos say Richard Smith, the team's linebackers coach, was also considered for the defensive coordinator position.
Del Rio was Broncos head coach John Fox's first defensive coordinator in Carolina in 2002 before leaving after one year to coach the Jaguars, who fired him in November.
Del Rio is the Broncos' seventh defensive coordinator in seven seasons. Other men who have filled the Mile High musical chair in the last six seasons are Larry Coyer (2006), Jim Bates (2007), Bob Slowik (2008), Mike Nolan (2009) and Don Martindale (2010). Allen was the only one who left for a head coaching job.
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