Tag: coaching staff

Former Broncos TEs coach takes over as UNC-Charlotte’s interim coach

Tim Brewster, who coached Broncos tight ends from 2005-2006, has been named interim head coach of the Charlotte 49ers.

A former Denver Broncos assistant coach is getting a head coach job at the college level, at least on an interim basis.

After parting ways with Biff Poggi halfway through their season, the Charlotte 49ers have named Tim Brewster their interim head coach.

Brewster, 64, is a veteran coach who served as Denver’s tight ends coach from 2005-2006. The Broncos’ top tight ends in those two seasons Jeb Putzier, Stephen Alexander and Tony Scheffler.

Brewster left Denver in 2007 to become the head coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers. After going 15-30 over four seasons, Brewster was let go in 2010. Since then, he has spent time with eight other colleges, each time as an assistant coach.

Before joining UNC-Charlotte as an associate head coach and tight ends coach earlier this year, Brewster served as Colorado’s tight ends coach under Deion Sanders in 2023. He also coached with Sanders at Jackson State in 2022. Before that, Brewster spent time at Florida, North Carolina, Texas A&M, Florida State and Mississippi State.

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Broncos ST coach Ben Kotwica thankful for Mike Westhoff’s mentorship

“He’s been a mentor, but most importantly he’s been a friend,” Broncos special teams coach Ben Kotwica said of retiring coach Mike Westhoff.

Finally, 76-year-old Mike Westhoff gets to actually retire. And there’s no talking him out of it this time.

After coaching New York Jets special teams units from 2001-2012, Westhoff stepped down from coaching in 2013. Four years later, Sean Payton convinced Westhoff to unretire midway through the 2017 season to help the New Orleans Saints get their special teams turned around.

After one more season in New Orleans, Westhoff retired a second time. Five years later, Payton came calling again and Westhoff joined the Denver Broncos as an assistant head coach in 2023.

Westhoff was set to retire again following last season, but Payton had team owner Greg Penner talk the coach into returning for the 2024 season. Now, midway through the season, Westhoff is retiring again, this time due to health concerns.

Ben Kotwica, Denver’s special teams coordinator who previously overlapped with Westhoff with the Jets from 2007-2012, spoke about his mentor’s retirement following Thursday’s practice.

“When I ended up getting into the league, Mike and I worked together back in the day with the Jets back in 2007. To get back together here over the last couple years and help shape this unit — which arguably is one of the top ten in the year — [has] really been rewarding and special.

“He’s been a mentor, but most importantly he’s been a friend. So I’m very grateful for time — we’ll obviously stay connected moving forward, but I just wanted to thank him for everything that he’s given me.”

The Broncos now have two dedicated special teams coaches remaining on staff in Kotwica and assistant Chris Banjo. Westhoff can now enjoy retirement — more than a decade after initially stepping away from football in 2013.

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Sean Payton says Mike Westhoff is a Hall of Fame-worthy coach

The Broncos will miss retiring assistant coach Mike Westhoff, who Sean Payton said is worthy of Hall of Fame consideration.

Earlier this week, news broke that Denver Broncos assistant head coach Mike Westhoff was stepping down due to health concerns.

After Wednesday’s practice, Broncos head coach Sean Payton began his press conference by addressing Westhoff’s retirement.

“I want to start real quickly and I know there’s already been a release regarding Mike Westhoff,” Payton said. “He and I’ve been together for quite some time. I think over the last two and a half weeks, he started having some blurriness in one of his eyes. Of course he didn’t say anything initially, he’s kind of a tough sucker. This [has] progressively been concerning to him. After the game, he went through some scans — went through quite a bit of medical work — and he felt, as well as his medical team, that it was in his best interest to step away. There’s a stress level obviously that takes place that can take its toll and certainly at his age with the condition.

“I know he’s gotten the treatment he’s needed, and he’ll continue to monitor that. I would say this — because I didn’t know him — I always knew of him, and we hired him mid-season in New Orleans. It’s not often that assistant coaches get into the [Pro Football] Hall of Fame. I’m not — I’m just saying, if there was, he’s one of those top special teams’ coordinators. Certainly, if you look at our numbers in two years relative to where we’ve come, he’s done a tremendous job here. We’ll miss him. Certainly, we’ll stay in touch.”

Payton convinced Westhoff to unretire in 2023 to help oversee Denver’s special teams units. The Broncos also hired special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica and assistant Chris Banjo. The plan was for Westhoff to help for one season and then have Kotwica completely take over in 2024. After last season went so well, though, Payton told owner Greg Penner to ask Westhoff to come back for one more season.

“[A]fter last season, I actually went in and saw Greg and said, ‘Hey why don’t you meet with him and see if you can talk him into coming back. He doesn’t have to come back until training camp,'” Payton recalled. “So Greg’s a good salesman and that went well.”

Westhoff will now retire again to focus on his health. Payton’s unlikely to get him to unretire a fourth time, so the Broncos will thank the coach for his service and move forward with Kotwica and Banjo.

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Broncos assistant head coach Mike Westhoff steps down with health concerns

“It’s not easy to make this decision, but this was a wake-up call that I needed to put my health first,” Mike Westhoff said.

Denver Broncos assistant head coach Mike Westhoff has stepped down from his role with the team due to health concerns, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero first reported on Tuesday evening.

Westhoff, 76, experienced vision problems last week and after undergoing testing on Monday, he has decided to step away from the team and return to his home in Florida.

“It’s not easy to make this decision, but this was a wake-up call that I needed to put my health first,” Westhoff said, via NFL Network. “This team is very much headed in the right direction with a strong foundation and a winning culture. I’m grateful to Sean for giving me the opportunity to contribute to a first-class organization and wish the Broncos the very best.”

Westhoff previously coached under Sean Payton with the New Orleans Saints from 2017-2018. Five years after Westhoff retired from coaching, Payton convinced him to unretire and join the Broncos in 2023 as an assistant head coach. Westhoff helped oversee the team’s special teams units over the last season and a half. He will now step aside to focus on his health.

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Wisconsin staffer stepping down from Badgers coaching staff after OWI arrest

Wisconsin staffer stepping down from Badgers coaching staff after OWI arrest

Jack Del Rio is stepping down from the Wisconsin coaching staff following his recent OWI arrest, according to Badgers head coach Luke Fickell.

Fickell opened his Monday press conference with a statement on the situation:

“Obviously we take everything incredibly seriously that happens, with our student-athletes or our staff,” Fickell began. “We had an issue this weekend that I think our administration has released a statement already. That happened with Jack Del Rio on Thursday. I’ve been in communication on Friday with our administration, and have had some communication with Jack, have sat down with him. He’ll be releasing a statement here I would imagine shortly after the press conference. That he’s going to move forward, he’s going to resign and move on. It’s a tough situation, decisions that all of us have to be able to take full responsibility for. So that’s what Jack will do and we’ll continue to move forward.”

Del Rio then released the following:

“I’m grateful to Coach Fickell and the University of Wisconsin for the opportunity to work with such a talented coaching and support staff and some of the best young football players in the country. I have decided to step away from my position with the team, so they can focus all their attention on the remainder of the season.”

Here are further details of the incident, as first reported by BadgerExtra’s Colten Bartholomew.

Del Rio originally joined the Badgers staff over the summer after a long coaching tenure in the NFL, including as defensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders (2020-23), head coach for the then-Oakland Raiders (2015-17), defensive coordinator for Denver Broncos (2012-14) and head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars (2003-11).

Wisconsin (5-4, 3-3 Big Ten) is back on the field on Saturday, Nov. 16 against the No. 1-ranked Oregon Ducks, needing just one more win to clinch bowl eligibility.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Ex-Broncos DC Jack Del Rio arrested for OWI

Jack Del Rio was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Former Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, 61, was arrested last Friday for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, it was reported on Monday. Del Rio ran into a street sign and broke a fence, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg.

Del Rio was a defensive coordinator in Denver from 2012-14, under head coach John Fox, before becoming a head coach in Oakland and Washington.

Prior to his arrest, Del Rio was a senior advisor to University of Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell. After his arrest, Del Rio resigned his post, according to ESPN.

“I’m grateful to Coach Fickell and the University of Wisconsin for the opportunity to work with such a talented coaching and support staff and some of the best young football players in the country,” Del Rio said in a statement Monday. “I have decided to step away from my position with the team, so they can focus all their attention on the remainder of the season.”

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Will Sean Payton find a role for Dennis Allen on Broncos’ staff?

After being fired by the Saints, perhaps Dennis Allen could land a role with Sean Payton’s Broncos?

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has 14 former New Orleans Saints coaches and staff members on his staff in Denver.

Perhaps another name will soon be added to the list.

The Saints fired head coach Dennis Allen earlier this week. Allen, 52, had two different stints under Payton with the Saints, including a run as the team’s defensive coordinator from 2015-2021.

The Broncos already have a defensive coordinator in Vance Joseph, but Payton could probably find a role for Allen.

On offense, Payton hired ex-Saints quarterbacks coach Joe Lombardi in 2023 to serve as Denver’s offensive coordinator. One year later, New Orleans fired offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael. The Broncos already had a coordinator in Lombardi, so Payton hired Carmichael as a “senior offensive assistant.”

It wouldn’t shock anyone if Payton now created a defensive assistant role for Allen.

Earlier this season, the New York Jets fired Robert Saleh and he quickly landed as a consultant with the Green Bay Packers. Time will tell if Allen might land a similar gig in Denver.

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Raiders hop into the wayback machine for coaching hire following Luke Getsy ouster

It’s been 20 years since Norv Turner roamed the Raiders sideline. And he’s back.

It’s been 20 years since Norv Turner roamed the sideline for the Raiders. It’s been five years since he roamed an NFL sideline at all. But today, he’s back, folks. Tuesday it was reported that in the wake of the Raiders firing Luke Getsy as offensive coordinator, they have hired former head coach Norv Turner.

Turner’s son Scott was already on the Raideres’ staff. Many have suspected Scott would be taking over offensive play calling duties with Getsy out. And that’s still possible. But whatever role he has, he will have his dad to help him out.

Turner is one of several longtime former NFL head coaches the Raiders brought in this offseason along with Tom Coughlin and Assistant Head Coach Marvin Lewis.

Broncos DC Vance Joseph had a perfect response to head coach rumors

“Being mentioned is cool, but right now my mind’s not there,” Broncos DC Vance Joseph said of being named on head coach candidate lists.

The Denver Broncos‘ defense has been one of the best in the NFL this fall, which has led to rumblings that defensive coordinator Vance Joseph could be a top head coach candidate following the season.

Joseph, 52, previously served as Denver’s head coach 2017-2018. The Broncos went 11-21 during that time and Joseph was fired, but he was working with a roster full of deficiencies, including not having a franchise quarterback.

With such a strong defensive scheme, Joseph could perhaps have a better run as a head coach if he lands in the right situation.

After practice on Thursday, Joseph was asked for his thoughts about being mentioned among head coach candidates this season. Joseph had a perfect response.

“I don’t have a thought about it right now because, thank God this league has seasons, right?” Joseph said. “You know, we have an offseason, you have a draft season — right now it’s play and win season. So for me, my entire focus is this [upcoming] football game and winning games and coaching right now. That stuff takes care of itself down the road.

“There’s a season for that stuff, but right now, for me, it doesn’t even have a place for me. I’m so busy right now. My mind’s on this team, a young defense who’s playing good football, they keep improving each week, to get ahead of the adversity before it strikes, that’s my focus. But obviously, being mentioned is cool, but right now my mind’s not there.”

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Joseph’s focused on the task at hand. He’ll turn his attention to any potential head coach interviews after the season ends.

If the Broncos do end up losing Joseph, they have an excellent in-house candidate to replace him in defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Jim Leonhard, a former college coach who had drawn interest from NFL teams as a DC candidate before landing in Denver this offseason.

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Full list of 22 ex-Saints now with Sean Payton’s Broncos

Broncos coach Sean Payton has brought 14 coaches/staff members and eight players who used to be Saints with him to Denver.

If the Denver Broncos look familiar to New Orleans Saints fans tonight, there’s a good reason for that.

Since becoming the Broncos’ head coach in 2023, Sean Payton has brought many former Saints with him to Denver. Not only players, but many coaches as well. There are currently 14 coaches and execs on Payton’s staff who previously spent time in New Orleans, plus eight players.

Here’s the full list.

Ex-Saints now Broncos coaches/staff

  1. Mike Westhoff (assistant head coach)
  2. Pete Carmichael (senior offensive assistant)
  3. Joe Vitt (senior defensive assistant)
  4. Joe Lombardi (offensive coordinator)
  5. John Morton (pass game coordinator)
  6. Michael Wilhoite (OLBs coach)
  7. Jim Leonhard (DBs coach)
  8. Declan Doyle (tight ends coach)
  9. Chris Banjo (assistant special teams coach)
  10. Logan Kilgore (offensive quality control coach)
  11. Zach Strief (offensive line coach)
  12. Dan Dalrymple (head strength and conditioning coach)
  13. Cody Rager (V.P. of player personnel)
  14. Beau Lowery (V.P. of player health and performance)

Ex-Saints now Broncos players

  1. WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
  2. WR A.T. Perry (practice squad)
  3. TE Adam Trautman
  4. TE Lucas Krull
  5. FB Michael Burton
  6. LB Kwon Alexander (practice squad)
  7. K Wil Lutz
  8. DL Jordan Jackson

All of these former Saints are set to return to the Caesars Superdome when the Broncos travel to New Orleans to face the Saints on Thursday Night Football in Week 7. They should feel right at home.

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