The Denver Broncos are apparently swinging big for their head coach in 2023 under the new regime, namely the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group. Team CEO Greg Penner is leading the search for the Broncos’ next head coach, and one thing that many have been critical of from the outside looking in is that the candidate list is too small, even at eight candidates.
Interviewing eight people for a head coaching search isn’t exactly a “limited” search — the Broncos have done even fewer interviews in previous searches — but it’s the specific names that are being left out of the running that has some fans upset right now. Could the Broncos be making the same mistake they made in 2022 when they decided not to interview Doug Pederson, whose Jaguars just advanced in the playoffs?
What about Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll, who each led their respective teams to the postseason? Every situation is unique and different, but the fact of the matter is, the Broncos should be interviewing some candidates that they are simply not. Who are they?
3 head coach candidates the Broncos could be missing out on
1. Shane Steichen, OC, Philadelphia Eagles
At this point, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen has interviewed for the Texans, Panthers, and Colts. He’s 37 years old and fits the mold of the young offensive coordinator whose coaching has resulted in outstanding success for a variety of different QBs in recent years.
Namely, Steichen has helped mold guys like Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts in recent years. Before that, he worked with Philip Rivers with the Chargers. Here’s what we’ve seen from Steichen’s QBs over the last three years…
2020 (Justin Herbert): 66.6 completion rate, 4,336 yards, 31 TDs, 10 INT
2021 (Jalen Hurts): 61.3 completion rate, 3,144 yards, 16 TD, 9 INT; 784 rushing yards, 10 TD
2022 (Jalen Hurts): 66.5 completion rate, 3,701 yards, 22 TD, 6 INT; 760 rushing yards, 13 TD
The 2020 season with Herbert — a rookie that year — was the pandemic year in which teams weren’t allowed to work out in person for most of the offseason. Steichen was tasked with coordinating an offense with a rookie QB who didn’t have a ton of on-field reps in the offseason, and didn’t even start the season as the QB1.
We saw how that all turned out.
Then he came to Philadelphia with Nick Sirianni and helped Jalen Hurts become a dynamic force at the QB position. The offense and plan they put together for Hurts has been so effective that teams can barely stop them.
So why would you not be picking this guy’s brain? Why would you not hear what he has to say about Russell Wilson’s 2022 season and what could be different? Why would you not hear his plan for a staff? His possible plan for a young QB in the future? The Eagles are one of the healthiest organizations in the league right now, why would you not ask him about what’s working there?
It’s something the Broncos could end up regretting.