Report: Jets Hire Broncos Coach Chris Banjo as Special Teams Coordinator
![Denver Broncos special teams coordinator Chris Banjo. Denver Broncos special teams coordinator Chris Banjo.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1280,h_720,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mile_high_huddle/01jjfkn9vy7srbt2jr11.jpg)
The Denver Broncos coaching staff has been significantly poached since the offseason began. On Wednesday, 9NEWS' Mike Klis confirmed that Broncos special teams assistant Chris Banjo has been hired to fill the New York Jets' special teams coordinator vacancy.
Banjo became the third Broncos assistant coach to be hired away for a coordinator job, joining tight ends coach Declan Doyle (Chicago OC) and pass game coordinator John Morton (Detroit OC). Sean Payton's coaching tree has sunk some serious roots and has become a hotbed of NFL hiring interest.
According to Klis, the Broncos are the first team since the Super Bowl champion 2021 Los Angeles Rams to have three coaching assistants leave for coordinator positions around the NFL.
"No coaching tree has grown more this offseason than Sean Payton’s. Broncos are first team since 2021 Rams to have 3 coaching assistants leave for coordinator jobs (Doyle, Morton, Banjo). Add in Aaron Glenn (HC), Dennis Allen (DC) and Payton has fastest growing tree," Klis posted on X.
No coaching tree has grown more this offseason than Sean Payton’s. Broncos are first team since 2021 Rams to have 3 coaching assistants leave for coordinator jobs (Doyle, Morton, Banjo). Add in Aaron Glenn (HC), Dennis Allen (DC) and Payton has fastest growing tree. #9sports https://t.co/tfwKHFNap0
— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) January 30, 2025
Banjo is a Payton guy, but he's also an Aaron Glenn guy, the Jets' new head coach. Glenn coached Banjo as a defensive back for three years with the New Orleans Saints. Glenn was Payton's secondary coach, who oversaw Banjo's unit.
Both Glenn and Banjo spring off of Payton's coaching tree, as does Dennis Allen, whom the Chicago Bears just hired as defensive coordinator. Payton has a long history of sustained success in the NFL, but the job he did in Denver this past season was astounding.
Not only did Payton win 10 games and make the playoffs with a rookie quarterback, but he did so with a whopping $92.7 million in dead money on the salary cap due to the Russell Wilson albatross of a contract. That was $92M that Payton's competitors could spend on personnel.
Instead of turning in a five-win season, Payton made the playoffs and five Broncos were selected to the A.P. All-Pro Team (both first and second team), the most for Denver since 1996.
"Yes, who’s done this before with over 80 million [in dead cap]? All those things you think about," Payton said ahead of Denver's Wildcard matchup vs. the Buffalo Bills. "No one’s done that before.”
In the "no one's every done that before" context, Payton was speaking of the Broncos' then-goal of prevailing in Upstate New York, and going on to win a Super Bowl. Still, how many NFL teams have won double-digit games with that much in dead cap?
It's a credit to Payton, but also his coaching staff, which is why there's been such tremendous interest from around the NFL. Let's not forget that Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph interviewed for two head-coaching vacancies earlier this month, which went to other candidates. Even personnel exec David Shaw drew interest, interviewing for head-coaching and offensive coordinator jobs.
We learned earlier this week that the NFL sniffed around Broncos secondary coach Jim Leonhard and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb, but Payton "placed a priority on retaining" both. That's a remarkable level of interest in Denver's coaching staff, which, again, is not only reflective of the team's 2024 accomplishments, but it's also an indicator of its trajectory moving forward.
With Bo Nix in the fold, and Payton at the controls, the Broncos are back.
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