In terms of job security, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has it now more than at any point in his 26-year coaching career.
Joseph currently leads arguably the NFL’s top defense, which is a group brimming with young talent that, if they stick together, seem destined to play in a Super Bowl.
The head coach Joseph works for, Sean Payton, is only in his third season and could very well be there for the next decade.
Joseph has it good. Real good. That’s why he should avoid becoming an NFL head coach again at all costs — a disastrous move for him in any scenario. Even if Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton has him on a list of NFL coordinators who seem primed to land NFL head coaching jobs in 2026.
That’s incredible considering Joseph led a defense that gave up 70 points to the Miami Dolphins in 2023 — the same unit that one year later would lead the NFL with 63 sacks.
“Vance Joseph could earn another chance at a head coaching job after a few standout years as a defensive coordinator,” Moton wrote on July 1. “Thanks largely to Joseph, the Broncos fielded arguably the best pass-rushing unit last year. Denver led the league in sacks (63) and ranked second in pressure rate (27.7 percent). Joseph’s redemption arc could land him a lead coaching job in 2026. He interviewed for openings with the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets in the previous hiring cycle.”
Joseph Tanked Miserably as Broncos Head Coach
It’s kind of an oddity that Joseph is even employed by the Broncos. He was previously their head coach in 2017 and 2018, when he went 11-21 before he was fired. It’s hard to think of another situation where a fired head coach has come back and thrived as an assistant coach on the same team.
While Moton and others might blame Joseph’s failures on quarterback instability, that’s a weak excuse. The Broncos were one of the NFL’s worst teams when he was in charge, and under his guidance they had consecutive losing seasons for the first time since the early 1970s.
Joseph has deep ties to Colorado and should stay put — it’s the same guy who was a defensive back on the University of Colorado’s national championship winning team in 1990.
Broncos Could Have NFL’s Best Defense For Years
The Broncos might not just have the NFL’s best defense in 2025, but for years to come. They have the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year in cornerback Patrick Surtain II, who just turned 25 years old and is in the first year of a 4-year, $96 million contract extension.
Want to know how much the Broncos value defense and what Joseph can do with one? Despite being in desperate need at multiple positions on offense, the Broncos went with defense in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft when they selected versatile Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron with the No. 20 overall pick.
Along with Surtain and Barron, the Broncos have a young group of stars that includes NFL Defensive Player of the Year finalist and edge rusher Nik Bonitto, cornerback Riley Moss, defensive end Zach Allen and safety Brandon Jones.
Garrett Wilson vs Patrick Surtain 🍿
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