How Mike Shanahan influenced Elway's decision to hire Rich Scangarello as OC
With the Denver Broncos increasingly weaving Mike Shanahan back into the team fabric, we're learning a lot more about how the team's all-time winningest head coach has influenced the current iteration of the squad.
We know that Gary Kubiak, for example, who served as head coach of the Broncos from 2015-16, was an offensive protege of Shanahan's. In that sense, it'd be fair to say that Shanahan's philosophy influenced all three of the Broncos' World Championships.
However, Kubiak's coaching influence has been gone from Denver now for two whole seasons. As Kubiak's influence ended, Shanahan's reach has seemingly increased.
With the San Francisco 49ers in Denver, the two squads held joint-practice sessions over the weekend in preparation for their head-to-head preseason battle on Monday night, Mike Shanahan was on-site at UC Health Training Center on Saturday.
It's what you'd expect, since Mike's son, Kyle Shanhan, is the head coach of the Niners.
Mike still resides in Denver and the proximity to the team is slowly paying dividends. On Saturday, we heard Mike's side of the story with regard to him being 'close' to a return as Broncos' head coach 18 months ago.
But we also learned that he was consulted, and ultimately had an influence, on the hiring of offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello.
Scangarello was the Niners' QBs Coach from 2017-18. Kyle Shanahan initially blocked the Broncos' overtures in wanting to interview Scangarello, but eventually relented.
GM John Elway shed some light on how Mike Shanahan fit into the Scangarello picture and perhaps influenced the Broncos' OC hire.
Full story in the video above.
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