Denver Broncos head coaching profile: DeMeco Ryans
Someone who will be a hot name this head coaching cycle is current San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans. Again, if some are worried about the idea of the team hiring yet another first-timer as the head coach, I understand, by Ryans has had quite the rise in the NFL as a coach.
Ryans does not have a ton of coaching experience at all, and some teams might be worried about hiring someone with this limited experience, but it’s not all about how many different coaching stops someone has.
If they can lay out a solid vision for the team and are able to bring over a staff that elevates the players, then they should be the ones to get the job. The question is, though, is that something that Ryans can do?
Denver Broncos head coaching profile: DeMeco Ryans.
Ryans is a former second-round draft pick who spent the 2006-2015 seasons in the NFL as a linebacker. He made the Pro Bowl in two seasons and also made a first-team All-Pro in 2007 between the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles.
Two years after his retirement from the NFL, Ryans got into coaching and was hired by the San Francisco 49ers as a defensive quality control coach. He was in this role for just one year before being named the inside linebackers coach from 2018-2020.
I’d guess that he played a huge role in the development of both Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, two of the best inside linebackers in the NFL and perhaps the best ILB tandem in the league.
Then, in 2021, he was named the defensive coordinator of the 49ers. In his first year as the DC, the team was ninth in points allowed per game and clearly was a strong unit overall. The team went 10-7 and made an appearance in the NFL Championship game.
In 2020, the Niners’ defense has taken another huge leap and is the best in the league. They rank first in points allowed and have playmakers at every single level. DeMeco Ryans has truly brought out the best in this unit and it’s clear that his players love playing for him.
Ryans is also an incredibly vocal and animated coach, perhaps keeping that same intense energy from when he was playing. I think that’s a big reason why he’s been so successful as well. Showing that intensity on the sidelines is something that I think players gravitate towards.
Before Ryans, Robert Saleh was the 49ers’ defensive coordinator and was showing that same energy, so perhaps that’s a key to being a successful coach in the NFL.
It does appear as if Ryans will get a head coaching job this offseason, and the Denver Broncos are likely going to interview him.