The Broncos fired outside linebackers coach Michael Wilhoite on Wednesday, the team confirmed to The Denver Post.
Wilhoite, 38, was accused late last month of punching a police officer in the departures lane at Denver International Airport.
“After thorough discussions as an organization, I met with Michael Wilhoite and informed him we have decided to part ways,” head coach Sean Payton said in a statement provided to The Post. “We recognize the serious nature of the allegations against him and believe this is the best course of action at this time.
“I appreciate Michael’s contributions to the Broncos and am confident he will move forward in a positive direction.”
Police say Wilhoite, who spent the past two seasons on Payton’s staff in Denver, left a vehicle unattended in the arrivals drop-off lane Feb. 23. A uniformed officer approached Wilhoite and told him he could not leave his vehicle unattended.
Wilhoite twice told the officer to, “Shut the (expletive) up,” according to an arrest affidavit. Wilhoite then approached the officer and “bumped his chest” into the officer, according to the affidavit. The officer shoved Wilhoite back and Wilhoite punched the officer in the face, police allege.
The officer fell to the ground and Wilhoite returned to his car, but, as he opened the door to get inside, the officer fired his Taser, according to the affidavit. The Taser struck Wilhoite near his left hip and side. The Taser shocked him for a few seconds, then Wilhoite got into his car and drove away, according to the affidavit.
The officer had “visible injuries” on his knees, as well as jaw pain, according to the affidavit.
The incident happened the day before most of the Broncos’ staff and the rest of the league traveled to Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine. While there, Payton told reporters that the team was working through its own process in coordinator with law enforcement and also the league office.
Payton, a source told The Post, was considering moving Wilhoite to inside linebackers coach before Wilhoite’s arrest. There he would have replaced Greg Manusky, whom Payton fired after the 2024 season.
Wilhoite coached inside linebackers previously for the Los Angeles Chargers (2021-22) and before that worked for Payton in New Orleans as a special teams and defensive assistant in 2019 and 2020. He had been considered a rising name to know in the NFL.
Before Wilhoite got into coaching, the Kansas native had a long NFL playing career. He went undrafted out of Washburn in 2011 and played a year for the Omaha Nighthawks before catching on with the San Francisco 49ers. He ended up playing 2011-16 there and spent 2017 with the Seattle Seahawks before he made the jump to coaching.
Payton now must fill the inside and outside linebackers jobs along with tight ends and likely a couple of assistant position coaches. He’ll also likely move some titles around after passing game coordinator John Morton left to be Detroit’s offensive coordinator earlier in the offseason.
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