Broncos Rumors: Cowboys' Dan Quinn, Chiefs' Eric Bieniemy Among HC Candidates
January 10, 2022
The Denver Broncos are requesting interviews with Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn for their vacant head-coaching position, along with Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, New England Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo and Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, per multiple reports.
The team has also reportedly requested to interview Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell:
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported Denver has also requested an interview with Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
The Broncos fired former head coach Vic Fangio on Sunday after he went 19-30 in three seasons at the helm.
After winning two Super Bowls and reaching the postseason seven times in the Mike Shanahan era (1995-2008), the Broncos have shuffled through six different head coaches: Josh McDaniels (2009-10), interim Eric Studesville (2010), John Fox (2011-14), Gary Kubiak (2015-16), Vance Joseph (2017-18) and Fangio.
Some of those tenures were more successful than others. Fox led the team to four straight playoff berths, while Kubiak won a Super Bowl in 2015 before stepping down after the 2016 season for medical reasons. But since that title, the Broncos haven't been back in the playoffs.
Finding a new head coach has moved atop the team's priority list this season as it attempts to return to contention.
Quinn and Moore would offer the team opposite levels of experience. The 51-year-old Quinn was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 to 2020, going 43-42 while leading the team to two playoff appearances and a Super Bowl berth. He previously spent two years as the Seattle Seahawks' defensive coordinator (2013-14) and is in his first year as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator, where his unit is seventh in points allowed and first in takeaways.
Moore, on the other hand, is just 33 and in his third season as the team's offensive coordinator. He has all of four years of coaching experience, though in the mold of Sean McVay, he is considered one of the game's up-and-coming coaching prospects. The Cowboys finished the 2021 season first in both yards and points.
The 52-year-old Bieniemy has been linked to a number of potential head-coaching vacancies over the past few years but has yet to land a job. He's spent the past four years as the Chiefs' offensive coordinator and has helped build one of the most potent and high-scoring offenses in recent memory behind quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and wideout Tyreek Hill.
Hackett, 42, has eight years of experience as an NFL offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills (2013-14), Jacksonville Jaguars (2016-18) and Packers (2019-present). Under his watch, the team has been top-10 in both points and yards in each of the past two seasons.
Finally, the 35-year-old Mayo has served as New England's inside linebackers coach since 2019, though he operates as something of a dual defensive coordinator with Steve Belichick, even if he doesn't officially hold the title.