The Denver Broncos put together a solid coaching staff for Sean Payton’s first season with the team last year. One of Denver’s holdovers from a previous staff could be on the move for a promotion.
Denver Broncos DB coach Christian Parker interviewing for Patriots DC job
Broncos defensive backs coach Christian Parker has an opportunity to continue to move up in his exciting young coaching career in the NFL. He’s set to interview for the New England Patriots defensive coordinator job today, as first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Peliserro.
He’ll have a chance to become one of the league’s youngest coordinators if he is chosen for the job.
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Parker has been coaching in the NFL for four seasons and has quickly become one of the league’s most promising up-and-coming coaches. In 2022, he participated in the NFL’s Accelerator Program, putting him in front of league executives and owners.
Prior to coaching in the NFL, he began his coaching career at Virginia State, Norfolk State, William and Mary before moving up to coaching at Notre Dame and Texas A&M. He landed a coaching job with the Green Bay Packers in 2019 as a defensive quality control coach before coming to Denver.
He’s had a tremendous impact on the development and play of Denver’s secondary since coming over in 2021. Not only did he come highly recommended by former Broncos head coach and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and Ed Donatell, but he remained on staff when Nathaniel Hackett took over in 2022.
After Hackett’s departure, Broncos head coach Sean Payton kept him and defensive line coach Marcus Dixon as the only two coaches from the previous staff. Payton recognized how important of an asset Parker has been to Denver’s defense and the development of the secondary.
Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph also acknowledged early on in training camp what it was like working with Parker.
“[I’ve been] speaking with Christian every day and bouncing ideas off him from what he’s done with Vic [Fangio] and guys in the past has been fun,” Joseph said. “[We’re] making changes and growing off what they did last year. He’s smart, he works his butt off and his players love playing for him. He’s a star.”
Players I’ve spoken to inside of the Broncos locker room love Parker. Under his coaching, Patrick Surtain II has been nominated to two consecutive Pro Bowl games in 2022-2023 and selected by his peers in the NFLPA’s All-Pro Team.
Parker is beyond deserving of the chance to lead and call an NFL defense, but the Broncos losing him would be a big blow to their defense, and it would be tough to fill his shoes from a coaching standpoint.