Vance Joseph, the defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos, was one of the top names in this year’s coaching cycle after building one of the league’s best units since returning to Denver. Joseph received five official interviews for vacancies around the league, but it appears that he will be staying in his current role.
On Sunday, reports came out that the Oakland Raiders will soon name Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, son of former Denver Broncos player and head coach Gary Kubiak, as their new head coach.
That left just one vacancy… the Arizona Cardinals. That is the job most felt that Joseph would have the best chance at landing, but not long after the Kubiak reports surfaced, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Cardinals have landed on Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.
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, multiple sources tell me.
That all becomes official with all of the head coach positions around the league being filled. pic.twitter.com/oqutKwYlXi
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) February 1, 2026
Joseph interviewed with the Raiders, Cardinals, New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans. All of those teams have chosen different candidates. In all, the league had 10 head coaching jobs open this offseason.
The Broncos did lose Jim Leonhard to the Buffalo Bills but look like they will keep both Joseph and Davis Webb. That has to be seen as a victory for the team.
Joseph coached the Broncos in 2017-18 and went 11-21 in his tenure. After he was fired, he was the defensive coordinator of the Cardinals for four seasons before being brought back to Denver as part of new head coach Sean Payton’s staff. That move was met with plenty of skepticism, but Broncos Country likely never believed it would be hoping that no other team would take Joseph away.
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That wish has come true, at least for one more season.
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