It is Joseph, not Rex Ryan, who Sean Payton picked to become the Denver Broncos’ new defensive coordinator, a source confirmed to 9NEWS.
Joseph, 50, was the Broncos’ head coach from 2017-18, posting records of 5-11 and 6-10. He was fired after two years but time has proven the Broncos’ problems were far deeper than the head coach. Vic Fangio followed with three losing seasons as head coach and Nathaniel Hackett couldn’t even finish his first season before he was dismissed as head coach the day after Christmas.
> Video above: 9NEWS report about the Denver Broncos getting close to hiring a defensive coordinator.
Payton was hired as the team’s new head coach earlier this month and he brought in Joseph for an 8-hour interview last Friday. Joseph had been the Arizona Cardinals’ defensive coordinator the previous four years. While he had decent success – his defense ranked 11th and 12th in 2020 and 2021 – he and new Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon, a defensive specialist by trade , mutually agreed to part ways last Thursday.
Joseph was on a plane that night to Denver.
During his interview Friday at Broncos headquarters, Joseph sat in the same office he once held as head coach. Joseph flew back to his Phoenix home and family after the interview Friday evening while the 60-year-old Ryan formally interviewed with Payton at Broncos headquarters Saturday.
Joseph then interviewed this week via Zoom with Philadelphia for the Eagles' defensive coordinator position.
Vance Joseph
Ryan was described this week by the NFL Network as “the favorite” to land the Broncos’ defensive coordinator position, and maybe he was, but Joseph’s interview with Payton – and far more recent defensive coordinator experience – helped win him over. Ryan had not coached at any level or any position since he was fired as head coach of the Buffalo Bills following the 2016 season. And he had not called plays as a defensive coordinator since 2008 with Baltimore.
Former defensive coordinators Sean Desai, Kris Richard and Matt Patricia also interviewed for the Broncos’ top defensive position.
Joseph runs a 3-4 defense so the Broncos won’t have to make an overhaul in defensive roster personnel. He has called it “an attack 3-4” where he brings more pressure on the quarterback than say the Fangio defense does. In his four seasons in Arizona, Joseph coached big sack production from J.J. Watt (12.5 in 2022), Markus Golden (11.0 in 2021), Haason Reddick (12.5 in 2020) and Chandler Jones (19.0 in 2019 and 10.5 in 2021.)
As 9NEWS previously reported, Joseph's defensive staff will include two holdovers from the Nathaniel Hackett/Ejiro Evero staff: Defensive line coach Marcus Dixon and defensive backs coach Christian Parker. Sources also told 9NEWS the Broncos are hiring Greg Manusky as inside linebackers coach and Michael Wilhoite as outside linebackers coach.
Manusky has previously been a defensive coordinator with Washington, Indianapolis and the Chargers. Wilhoite previously worked on Sean Payton's staff in New Orleans and spent the past two years coaching linebackers for the Chargers.
Joseph and Payton still have to hire an assistant defensive line coach, a second defensive backs coach and perhaps a defensive quality control coach to finish up the defensive staff.
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