Broncos' Short List of HC Candidates Revealed by ESPN Insider

Is one of these names the next head coach of the Denver Broncos?

The Denver Broncos are once again on the hunt for a new head coach after firing Nathaniel Hackett 15 games into his tenure earlier this week. On Tuesday, Broncos CEO and part-owner Greg Penner revealed alongside GM George Paton what the team covets in its next head coach. 

"Obviously, the X’s and O’s are important, but we need a strong leader for this organization that’s focused on winning," Penner said. "That starts with culture. It’s instilling a sense of accountability and discipline. We need an identity on offense. At the starting point, it has to be about culture and leadership. Those characteristics are what we’ll be focused on the most.”

So, among the potential list of 2023 head-coaching candidates, who might check Penner's boxes? ESPN's Josina Anderson released a short list of candidates for the Broncos' vacancy earlier this week. 

"I'm told some initial names being discussed for the Broncos head coach vacancy, per league source, include: Dan Quinn, Darrell Bevell, Eric Bieniemy, Sean Payton, Demeco Ryans, [and] Shane Steichen," Anderson tweeted. 

I'm told some initial names being discussed for the #Broncos head coach vacancy, per league source, include:

Dan Quinn
Darrell Bevell
Eric Bienemy
Sean Payton
Demeco Ryans
Shane Steichen

— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) December 26, 2022

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Let's quickly examine the names Anderson dropped. 

Payton: Almost every NFL fan knows who he is. He led the New Orleans Saints for more than a decade, helping bring home the franchise's only Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLIV. He 'retired' from coaching following the 2021 season and is planning a return to the NFL ranks. Payton likely tops Denver's list. 

Quinn: The former Seattle defensive coordinator served as Atlanta's head coach and presided over the biggest Super Bowl collapse in NFL history at the hands of New England. Quinn eventually flamed out of Atlanta and has since been Dallas' defensive coordinator. He was purportedly one of three finalists for the Broncos' head-coaching vacancy last year. 

Bevell: He's currently Miami's QBs coach and passing game coordinator but served as Seattle's OC when Russell Wilson was drafted back in 2012. The first half of Wilson's career, and arguably, the best stretch on his resume, came under Bevell's stewardship, which is why Denver will look long and hard at him. 

Bieniemy: A long-time assistant to Andy Reid in Kansas City, Bieniemy has been on the outside looking in for years when it comes to hiring season, purportedly because he's a bad interview. But according to the buzz, that could be changing as Bieniemy is expected to be heavily courted by NFL clubs in this hiring cycle. What changed? I don't know. 

Ryans: A former middle linebacker, Ryans took over as DC in San Francisco after Robert Saleh departed in 2021 and has done an amazing job. Known for his defensive acumen, Ryans is an intense leader of men who could instill a winning culture as a head coach. 

Steichen: Currently Philadelphia's OC, Steichen's profile has been elevated due to the Eagles' amazing season offensively. At 37 years old, he's got a few skins on the wall, but he would be another first-time offensive-minded head coach and a young one, at that. 

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