Who will man the sidelines as head coach of the Denver Broncos when the 2023 season begins? According to one insider, if Denver has its way, it will be a well-known name.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com was on The KOA Sports Zoo on Monday, speaking about the Broncos coaching search. He said (per Zac Stevens, thednvr.com) that “Denver does appear to be focused on a big, big, big candidate. So maybe that’s taken a little more time, regardless of the head start (they) had.”
Ian Rapoport on the Broncos' coaching search:
"Denver does appear to be focused on a big, big, big candidate. So maybe that's taken a little more time, regardless of the head start (they) had."
(Via The KOA Sports Zoo)
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) January 31, 2023
So, what exactly does that mean?
There was a lot of interest in the latest report, even if nobody had a completely great sense of why the “big, big, big” candidate might be.
— Emmanuel Sanders (@ESanders_10) January 31, 2023
But seriously, this is like when Michael Scott promised everyone a surprise and then hid in his office hoping everyone would forget and go home. https://t.co/6xisYx2Os0
— Justice4Bijaz (@JohnReidy303) January 31, 2023
I genuinely don’t know who this could be. Rap would just say that it was Harbaugh or Payton. Like, it has to be Saban levels, no? https://t.co/SOBpHMGUJ3
— Jack Ramsey (@jackwramsey) January 31, 2023
So a big big big candidate, they’re not expanding their search. So who is this mysterious massive candidate we’re going after there’s no way it’s Sean Payton. No offense. #BroncosCountry https://t.co/RUxX2ZTjEw
— Joey fatts (@joeyjo35t) January 31, 2023
The two obvious candidates who fit that description are Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh.
Reports emerged that Payton didn’t like the idea of working for the team’s new ownership, foreseeing a power struggle. Payton, though, refuted those claims.
Harbaugh has also been a mixed bag with reports. He said that he’s returning to Michigan. Denver, though, has talked with him subsequently. Additionally, Benjamin Allbright of KOA Colorado reported earlier on Monday that “Harbaugh was (and is) the top target for Denver.”
To clear up some bad reporting, Harbaugh was (and is) the top target for Denver. They did pivot to Ryans after being rebuffed (their 2nd guy, not 3rd as errantly stated) and he ultimately decided on Houston.
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) January 30, 2023
The big issue now is, what happens if Harbaugh and Payton both ultimately do shoot the Broncos down? Unless there’s another, completely unforeseen candidate emerging, promising a “big, big, big candidate” then hiring a coordinator or another former head coach would be giving that person an immediate hurdle he’d have to clear before coaching his first game.
