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Broncos head coach search: 4 down, 4 to go in round 1

Candidates with substantial head coaching experience include Harbaugh, Shaw, Caldwell, Payton, Morris, Quinn.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Broncos owner and CEO Greg Penner has formed a tight circle around the Broncos’ head coach search this year.

The team used six to eight people in its committee last year with general manager George Paton stating in a news conference two weeks ago that he was the one who hired Nathaniel Hackett.

Hackett was fired 15 games -- and 11 losses -- into his first season. Penner is leading the search this year with Paton and owner Condoleezza Rice also participating in the first round of candidate interviews.

Controlling owner Rob Walton and co-owner Carrie Walton Penner remain involved in the search process and will take on a more active interview role should the search reach a second round. Anywhere from one to three finalists could possibly be brought in for another round of interviews.

To date, Greg Penner, Rice and Paton have interviewed, in order, University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh on Monday, Denver’s own defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero on Tuesday, and former Stanford head coach David Shaw and former Colts/Lions head coach Jim Caldwell on Wednesday.

Only Harbaugh’s interview was conducted virtually with the rest in-person. After proceeding aggressively early in the head coach interview window that opened Monday, Penner is now patiently awaiting interviews with four more candidates next week. Former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton and Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris will be interviewed Tuesday in Los Angeles. In-person interviews with 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans and Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will be later next week on a day to be determined following their NFC first-round playoff games this weekend.

Credit: AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Samson Ebukam (56) talks with defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans before an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023.

Ryans’ 49ers open the NFL postseason by hosting the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday afternoon. Quinn’s Cowboys conclude the first round with a Monday night game at Tampa Bay.

Harbaugh, Payton and Quinn are widely considered the Big Three co-favorites, although Michigan president Santa Ono released a statement Thursday saying he and his athletic director have been holding positive discussions centered around keeping Harbaugh as head coach. Payton also has interviews set up with Arizona and Houston. Morris, Evero and Ryans are also head coach candidates with other teams besides the Broncos.

For now, Penner’s candidates list is complete, although the NFL usually has additional coaching shakeups after the first postseason weekend. A second-round of interviews could possibly begin around the week of Jan. 23.

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