Gary Kubiak Could Replace Josh McDaniels in Denver If Let Go by Houston Texans

The Josh McDaniels era came to an abrupt end Monday in Denver without any of the fanfare or hoopla that accompanied his hiring before the start of the 2008 season.  After starting out his head-coaching career with six consecutive wins, McDaniels lost 17 of his final 22 games to expedite the firing that many thought would happen after the season.

Considering the patience and dedication that owner Pat Bowlen showed Mike Shanahan during his 14 seasons as the Broncos head coach, McDaniels' sudden departure was a testament to how disappointing the Broncos had been under his watch.  It also showed how desperately the team thought they needed to change their direction.                  

Even with the uncertain future of the league next season, the fact remains that the Broncos will need another head coach.  Once the team is ready to pursue a new head coach, former Denver offensive coordinator and current Houston head coach Gary Kubiak could very well be the man who ultimately becomes the boss in the Mile High City.

Kubiak's job in Houston is standing on shakier ground by the day, and his tenure can only be described as a disappointment.  His record, 36-40, isn't terrible, but with the offensive talent the team has possessed during his tenure and his reputation as an offensive coach, far more has been expected out of him.  It appears his time in Houston is running short.              

Even with his lack of success in his first head-coaching stint, it would not be surprising if Denver gives him another opportunity to prove himself.  After the fiasco with McDaniels, Kubiak could be the perfect hire for Bowlen.

Kubiak presided over the offense for both of the Broncos Super Bowl titles and crafted one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL during that span.  By all accounts, he had a good relationship with the owner and left to become Houston's leader on very amicable terms.

The biggest advantage that Kubiak may have in securing the Denver job is that he is not McDaniels.  He is the polar opposite of the recently canned coach.  McDaniels was considered an offensive prodigy after serving only three seasons as an offensive coordinator. His youth, attitude and confidence were supposed to inject some much-needed energy into a franchise that had grown stale under Shanahan.

The tide quickly turned as McDaniels clashed with and traded away his two biggest stars on offense and could never remove himself from controversy.  He benched Brandon Marshall for the final and deciding game of the 2009 season.  He came under fire for his role in the decision to draft Tim Tebow in the first round of this year's draft.  He irked Kansas City head coach Todd Haley so much during a game earlier this year that Haley refused to shake McDaniels' hand after the game. 

And, while the details are still unclear, he was fined $50,000 by the NFL for failing to report what he knew about former aid Steve Scarnecchia and his videotaping of a walkthrough by the San Francisco 49ers before the teams met for a game in London.

McDaniels always found himself on the front page, but it seldom was for a positive reason. Kubiak, on the other hand, is rarely the top story on any highlight show.  Unless you've lived in Denver or Houston during his tenure there, you may never have heard Gary Kubiak utter a single word.  For a football coach he is very low key, and he tends to stay out of controversy, which could ultimately be a sticking point for Bowlen during his search for a coach.

Kubiak may not be the boldest hire.  Considering that the only way Denver could hire him is if his current team decides to fire him, it seems strange that he could be the leading candidate for any job, let alone another head-coaching gig.  But there are bigger factors at play here than simply wins and losses. 

Bowlen swung for the fences with McDaniels' hiring, and instead he popped out to the catcher.  Even worse than that, one of the most loyal fanbases in the entire country is starting to turn on its team.  Bowlen needs to restore pride and a sense of credibility to his team.

Kubiak has not been overly successful in his time in Houston, but hasn’t completely failed.  He may not be Bill Belichick, but he certainly isn't Rod Marinelli either.  His familiarity with the team should give him a firm foot in the door should he be let go in Houston.  The fact that he stands almost no chance of duplicating Josh McDaniels’ tenure is what could ultimately win Kubiak the job.

The team will do their due diligence in looking at the best and brightest young assistants, a la Leslie Frazier, now the interim head coach in Minnesota, but they will probably shy away from hiring one to avoid being burned in the same way that McDaniels burned them.  They will be paying the remaining balances on both McDaniels' and Shanahan's contracts next season, so a big-money hire like Jon Gruden seems just as unlikely.

By hiring Kubiak, the Broncos would get a coach who is able to stay out of the spotlight, run a good offense and is already familiar to the organization.  More importantly, he's a coach who is familiar to the fans.  Kubiak could bring a certain sense of nostalgia with him that could remind a disenchanted fanbase of what their franchise used to be.  Kubiak may not be the best coach on the market this upcoming offseason, but he could be the best coach for the Broncos.