As Sean Payton begins to build his staff as the head coach of the Denver Broncos, he interviewed a former head coach this past week for the team’s vacant defensive coordinator job.
Denver Broncos interviewed Rex Ryan for defensive coordinator job
New Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton had a busy week in Phoenix last week fulfilling several of his final media obligations on behalf of FOX. Last Monday, Payton was introduced as the team’s newest head coach — shortly after that he caught a flight to Phoenix for a wild week at radio row.
While the new Broncos head coach had various media obligations to fulfill, he also spent various hours last week conducting interviews and going over prospective coaches for his staff this year. On Tuesday, he conducted an interview with Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator and associate head coach Sean Desai for the open defensive coordinator job.
According to FOX NFL’s Jay Glazer on Sunday morning, Payton also interviewed current ESPN NFL analyst and former NFL head coach Rex Ryan for the team’s vacant defensive coordinator job. Ryan hasn’t coached in the NFL since being fired by the Buffalo Bills as their head coach after the 2016 season.
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While the game has evolved significantly since Ryan’s last coaching tenure, it would be an interesting move for the Broncos if he were to land the defensive coordinator job. How would his personality mesh with players inside the locker room? How would he adapt to how offenses play the game now? How come he hasn’t received interest prior to this year as a potential coordinator?
One tie that Payton has to Ryan involves Rex’s brother Rob — who was fired as the New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator by Payton in 2015. Whoever Payton decides to hire needs to continue to build on that unit’s strengths, which seemingly thrive inside of the 3-4 heavy nickel-based scheme. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
Payton acknowledged last week in Phoenix that he believes in being slow to hire and fast to fire regarding assistant coaches. Referencing learning from some of the mistakes he made early on in his coaching career, Payton seems more focused on hiring the right coach for the job — even if that takes time.
Denver’s head coach will return to Dove Valley on Monday as he continues to look at building out his coaching staff. Several of Nathaniel Hackett’s former assistant coaches have already been let go, including Jake Moreland, Peter Hansen, Bert Watts, and Ben Steele.
Many in Broncos Country are waiting to hear the status of assistant coaches like Christian Parker, whose name is being circled as a rising name in the coaching world by various league executives. The expectation is that more coaching moves will occur for the Denver Broncos throughout the week.