The Denver Broncos made a notable move on Tuesday, firing head coach Joe Lombardi. Lombardi was the Denver Broncos offensive coordinator from the 2023-2025 seasons. He never called plays, but still held a major role with the team.
This does come as a bit of a shock, but many fans have already seen the (likely) end goal, which is promoting Davis Webb to the offensive coordinator spot, keeping him in Denver for another year. Webb has been a hot name on the head coaching market and seems to have a ton of interest from the Las Vegas Raiders.
However, there aren't many more stable franchises in the NFL right now than the Denver Broncos, and with Lombardi being shown the door, not only does this bode well for Webb's chances to remain with the team, but it also proves that the team is serious about fixing the offense.
Sean Payton clearly doesn't mind parting with a long-time assistant to fix the offense
Many Broncos fans have rightly pointed out that the offense looked disjointed at times in 2025. The offense was largely a 'boom or bust' unit. Denver didn't have issues creating big plays, but down-to-down consistency was missing.
As for Lombardi, it is a bit of a shock to see Sean Payton parting with him. He was on his staff in New Orleans from 2007-2013, and then again from 2016-2020. He had a third stint with the Broncos from 2023-2025. As we all know, Sean Payton likes 'his guys,' and that has spilled over into the coaching staff.
Seeing this move made can be about Davis Webb, but that also means it's about improving the offense. Webb has played a huge part in the Denver Broncos being able to develop Bo Nix - Webb was also on the staff in 2023, and in the lone year he worked with Russell Wilson, the former Broncos' QB was efficient on paper.
It's clear that Davis Webb is highly thought of across the NFL, and his value to the Denver Broncos is obvious. It's not a guaranteet that the franchise is able to keep him much longer, but this major move to part with Joe Lombardi should tell all of us that the offense, and finding consistency with it, is going to be a top priority this coming offseason.
This should excite everyone in Broncos Country. Even though Lombardi did not call plays, this move is significant.