Report: Broncos Interview Ex-Stanford HC David Shaw

The stars might be aligning for a Jim Harbaugh return to the NFL as head coach of the Denver Broncos.

All eyes are now trained on the race to become the next head coach of the Denver Broncos. University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has already had a virtual interview meeting with the Broncos' hiring brain trust, so it’s safe to say the wheels are in motion.

If we follow the trail of coaching breadcrumbs, the Broncos' face-to-face meeting with former Stanford Cardinal head coach David Shaw might paint a much clearer picture of what might materialize next. 9NEWS' Mike Klis broke the news of Denver's interview with Shaw. 

Shaw spent significant time learning his craft under Bill Walsh — the famed architect of the West Coast Offense — during the '90s. Shaw also learned under the late Stanford alumni and former NFL head coach Dennis Green. But Shaw's association with Harbaugh is what carries the most weight when it comes to predicting the Broncos’ next move.

Availability is not a concern for the Broncos after Shaw’s mostly successful decade-plus-long tenure as Stanford's head coach, which ended in late November. After Harbaugh had his initial meeting with the Broncos, the coincidental timing of Shaw’s interview, which seemingly came out of the blue, is conspicuous. 

Perhaps Harbaugh earmarked Shaw as a potential fit for the Broncos' head-coaching gig because he’s no longer interested in taking on the job. The more probable motivation for Denver interviewing Shaw would be Harbaugh laying a framework to assemble a coaching staff that fits his specific requirements. 

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After posting a losing season in each of his last four years under challenging circumstances, Shaw is rumored to be keen on a return to the pro ranks to reignite his career. Holding out for a head-coaching job might be beyond Shaw in the 2023 NFL hiring cycle. 

That being said, if the 50-year-old coach were able to reboot quarterback Russell Wilson, he would likely rocket toward the very top of teams' lists as a potential hire next time around.

Reuniting Shaw with Harbaugh would give the Broncos a formidably strong foundation of offensive minds with which they can start rebuilding Wilson's tarnished reputation. Fortunately for the Broncos, hiring the right head coach and filling out his assistant staff won't be restricted by fiscal constraints, or be held back by a lack of ambition on the part of the ambitious Walmart/Penner ownership group. 

When you throw in the Stanford ties of Broncos minority owner Condoleezza Rice and the Penner family, the assumption for Shaw is this: where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

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