Final NFL Head Coaching Hire Brings Clarity to Vance Joseph’s Future with Broncos

The final domino of the NFL’s head coaching cycle has fallen, and it brings long-awaited clarity for the Denver Broncos.

As Broncos Wire noted, after weeks of speculation and interviews across the league, Vance Joseph is set to remain in Denver as the team’s defensive coordinator for the 2026 season. 

That outcome had quietly been expected inside the building for days.

However, it now becomes official with the league’s final head coaching openings filled.

As DNVR’s Zac Stevens reported, Joseph had already been signaling his intentions internally.

“Over the past week, Vance Joseph has been telling people inside the Broncos’ building he was going to return to be Denver’s DC for the 2026 season,” Stevens wrote.

“That all becomes official with all of the head coach positions around the league being filled.” 

NFL Coaching Carousel Closes, Joseph Stays Put

Joseph was one of the most sought-after defensive coordinators in this year’s coaching cycle.

He earned interviews with multiple teams looking to fill head coaching vacancies.

Joseph met with the Raiders, Cardinals, Giants, Ravens, and Titans over the last few weeks. 

Ultimately, each of those franchises chose a different direction, closing the door on Joseph’s candidacy, at least for now. 

Once the final openings were filled by Arizona and Las Vegas this morning, any remaining uncertainty surrounding Joseph’s future fully disappeared.

From Denver’s perspective, the outcome is a clear win. 

On one hand, the Broncos lost defensive assistant Jim Leonhard earlier in the offseason.

But retaining Joseph and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb preserves continuity on both sides of the ball. 

For a team coming off a deep playoff run, continuity matters, and the Broncos can build on that foundation next season.

A Dominant 2025 Season by Vance Joseph’s Defense

Joseph’s strong market was no accident. 

The 2025 Broncos defense finished as one of the NFL’s elite units, ranking top five in points allowed, yards allowed, and red-zone touchdown rate. 

Denver surrendered just 18.5 points per game and led the league in opponent yards per play. 

The pass rush was the foundation. 

Denver led the NFL with 68 regular-season sacks (76 including the playoffs), powered by breakout seasons from Nik Bonitto (14 sacks) and Jonathon Cooper (8 sacks). 

They also had steady production up front from Zach Allen and John Franklin-Myers.

Joseph’s aggressive 3-4 scheme relied on disguised pressures and constant movement up front, creating one-on-one matchups without heavy blitzing. 

Behind them, a secondary led by reigning DPOY Pat Surtain II allowed Joseph to stay aggressive. 

The defense ranked near the top of the league in third-down efficiency, red-zone stops, and touchdowns allowed per game, helping propel the Broncos to a 14-3 regular-season. 

With Joseph staying in place, Denver enters 2026 with its defensive identity fully intact.

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