Broncos Quarterback Situation A Family Affair

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Source: Yardbarker

For Josh McDaniels, Denver has become home. He has stated in recent interviews that he intends to stay in Denver for a long time and now knows why people love Colorado so much.

"“This is home, where we want to raise our kids. In the last year and a half I’ve found out why everybody else loves Colorado. We don’t ever want to leave.” (Denver Post)"

One thing that has helped Josh McDaniels feel more at “home” very quickly is the help that he’s brought in. McDaniels hired his younger brother, Ben, 30, to be a Broncos’ offensive assistant coach last year. This year, Ben was promoted to quarterbacks coach.  

Both Josh and Ben played QB at the high school level and were beaten out of a starting QB job in college. In high school, they played under their father, Thom McDaniels, who was a well respected high school football coach in Ohio. Thom studied the position intensely and passed his knowledge down to Josh and Ben.

Thom has even made an appearance at Broncos passing camp. However, he took on the role of center to Kyle Orton, Brady Quinn, and Tim Tebow. He let his sons do all the coaching and simply snapped the ball to each QB.

Sports Illustrated put out a great article this week entitled, Tim Tebow The Making of a Quarterback. You can read about the McDaniels brothers and their approach to developing the Broncos QBs. The article starts:

"“It’s 8:50 a.m on a day in late May, and quarterback class is in session. In fact, this is already the second quarterbacks meeting of the morning at the Broncos’ training facility in Englewood. Coaches and passers huddled at 8, followed by a full-team get-together at 8:30. The offense would meet afterward, at 9:15, followed by a third quarterbacks session at 9:55, a walkthrough at 10:30, then practice, lunch, film review and meetings in the afternoon. Dizzying.”"

There’s no doubt that the Broncos have an open competition at QB. They also have an open competition at wide receiver, and tight end, and nose tackle, and in fact, at every other position on the football field. That’s what Josh McDaniels likes to tell the media. Perhaps he says this to take the pressure off the highly charged QB situation that all of Colorado and Florida have their eyes on. Maybe he says this so training camp doesn’t turn into a circus, or so Broncos fans don’t look like they just ate sour lemon drops when they hear the name of a definitive starter.

Truth be told, it doesn’t matter what Josh McDaniels says. He’s a smoke and mirrors kind of guy – similar to Bill Belichick in that regard. 

With the help of Ben and perhaps a little guidance from Thom, Josh has turned the Broncos QB conundrum into a family affair, and that’s exactly what he hopes to do to the Broncos as well – turn the locker room into a family atmosphere and a place where the team wins together and losses together.