Colts Rumors: Broncos DC Ejiro Evero Eyed for HC Interview Amid Texans Link

The Indianapolis Colts have requested an interview with Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero for their open head coaching position, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

The Broncos are already interviewing Evero on Tuesday for head coach, and the Houston Texans have requested to interview the 42-year-old as well.

Evero has coached in the NFL since 2011. He spent five years with the San Francisco 49ers as a quality control coach (2011), an offensive assistant (2012 to '13) and a defensive assistant (2014 to '15). He then moved on to the Green Bay Packers, where he worked as the team's defensive quality control coach in 2016.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay added Evero to his staff in 2017 as the team's safeties coach (2017 to '20) before giving him a promotion to secondary coach and passing game coordinator for the team's Super Bowl-winning 2021 season.

Evero then traveled to Denver under new head coach Nathaniel Hackett to lead the defense. It was a trying season for a 5-12 Broncos team that finished with the league's worst scoring offense, and Hackett was fired after going 4-11.

However, Evero's unit fared well.

The team finished tied for 14th in fewest points allowed, and the defense ended No. 10 in Football Outsiders' DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) metric. Denver also finished tied for third in fewest yards allowed per play (5.0), per Pro Football Reference.

The Colts are in the market for a new head coach after firing Frank Reich following a 3-5-1 record through nine games this season. They turned to former star center Jeff Saturday to finish out the year as the team's interim coach, and he went 1-7 to close the year. Both sides of the ball struggled in Indianapolis, as the offense and defense each finished bottom five in scoring.

It's a tough job, although the Colts can get back on track thanks in part to good draft capital (No. 4 and No. 35 overall) in 2023. Evero could very well be up to the task, and he's received much praise in recent weeks for his efforts from Broncos interim head coach Jerry Rosburg, Broncos two-time All Pro safety Justin Simmons and Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II, among others.

Evero is clearly one of the hottest names in this year's hiring cycle, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him calling the shots for a team in 2023.