Broncos interviewing Mike Shula for QB coach vacancy
The Denver Broncos are interviewing former New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Shula to be their quarterbacks coach, per multiple reports.
One week ago, it was reported by Benjamin Allbright that the Denver Broncos were likely targeting New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Shula to be their new quarterbacks coach with Pat Shurmur — his boss in New York — being hired as Denver’s offensive coordinator.
Now, on the final day of 2020 Senior Bowl practices, it appears as though Shula is heading towards being hired by the Broncos as their new quarterbacks coach with an interview at the team facility on Thursday.
Per source, Mike Shula at #Broncos facility today interviewing for vacant QB coach post. Worked for Pat Shurmur last two years with Giants.
— Ryan O'Halloran (@ryanohalloran) January 23, 2020
Of course, with Allbright’s report a week ago, this news does not come as any sort of surprise, but it is great to see things moving along.
The Broncos will meet on Monday after the Super Bowl — per John Elway — as a staff to start formulating plans for the 2020 offseason and free agency.
As of last Thursday, Shula was still technically in the running to remain the New York Giants offensive coordinator, though their new head coach Joe Judge has seemingly preferred Jason Garrett from the start (also reported by Allbright).
Shula, son of the great NFL head coach Don Shula, is a quarterback by trade and is a longtime NFL offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in addition to being the head coach at Alabama for three years before they hired Nick Saban.
Shula has worked with a number of successful, young quarterbacks in his coaching career, including Daniel Jones this past year with the Giants, Cam Newton from his rookie season in Carolina, David Garrard who made a Pro Bowl under Shula in Jacksonville, and others.
Now, he will get the chance to work with Pat Shurmur to extract the best out of Drew Lock. The Broncos are obviously hoping for some continuity in their offensive coaching staff, and while the plan was to keep Rich Scangarello around, the option to hire Shurmur was too enticing for Vic Fangio to pass up.
Shurmur’s offenses have given Fangio’s defenses fits in recent years, so he’s obviously someone that Fangio respects a great deal.
Shurmur and Shula, when this move is made officially official (the interview is considered a formality), will represent the Broncos’ sixth combination in the last seven years as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach brain trust.
2014: Adam Gase & Greg Knapp
2015-16: Rick Dennison/Gary Kubiak & Greg Knapp
2017: Mike McCoy & Bill Musgrave
2018: Bill Musgrave & Mike Sullivan
2019: Rich Scangarello & TC McCartney
2020: Pat Shurmur & Mike Shula
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Hopefully this can be the winning combination for the Broncos as they not only have the experience they have coveted at the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach spot, but they also have a young quarterback in Drew Lock who has proven he’s got what it takes to play in the NFL.