Michael Wilhoite might be walking back through a door the Broncos pushed him out of just over a year ago. Denver fired him as outside linebackers coach in early March 2025, ten days after his arrest at Denver International Airport. Now that the criminal case against him has been fully dismissed, multiple reports say the team is close to bringing him back.

“Broncos are expected to re-hire Michael Wilhoite as a member of their staff,” Pro Football Talk reported. 

The arrest stemmed from a February 23, 2025 incident at DIA, where Wilhoite was accused of second-degree assault of a police officer, a felony along with misdemeanor obstruction and criminal mischief. According to the police affidavit, Wilhoite left his car unattended in a drop-off lane, was told by an officer he couldn’t do that, responded by cursing at him, then approached and chest-bumped the officer before punching him in the face after the officer shoved him back. That account was never tested in court. The felony charge was dismissed in September 2025, and the remaining misdemeanor charges followed on June 8, 2026, with the court filings sealed.

Though the criminal side of this case might be closed, the civil side isn’t. Denver police officer Jesus Galvan Chavez, the officer involved in the incident, has filed a civil lawsuit against Wilhoite that’s still working through the courts.

But none of that appears to be slowing the Broncos down. Before joining Denver, Wilhoite worked as the Chargers’ linebackers coach for two seasons, and before that, started his NFL coaching career under Sean Payton with the Saints in 2019 and 2020. That prior relationship with Payton is a big part of why this reunion makes sense on paper. While he coached the outside linebackers, the Broncos’ defense set a franchise sack record, with Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper both posting double digit sack totals that season.

Multiple reports describe the move as likely, but not done. No agreement has been finalized, and it’s still unclear exactly what role Wilhoite would fill if he returns. His old job is currently held by Issac Shewmaker. Reports suggest the two could end up sharing outside linebacker duties or Denver could create a new role for Wilhoite entirely.

If he does return, he’d be walking into a defense that had a genuinely strong 2025 under coordinator Vance Joseph, allowing the third-fewest points in the league, finishing 14-3, winning the AFC West, and reaching the AFC Championship Game before their season ended.

That timing overlapped with another legal matter this week too. On the same day Wilhoite’s potential return became public, his former player Jonathon Cooper pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge in the same Douglas County courthouse where Wilhoite’s own case had just been resolved, an unrelated situation, but one that put both stories in the news at once.

Sean Payton’s team facing schedule pressure

Whatever role Wilhoite ends up in, he’d be walking into one of the tougher opening stretches in the league. Denver opens Week 1 on the road against rival Kansas City on Monday Night Football, then hosts Jacksonville in Week 2 and the Rams, one of the year’s Super Bowl favorites, on Sunday Night Football in Week 3. The gauntlet continues with a Week 4 trip to San Francisco, a Week 5 road game against the charger, and a Week 6 Sunday night matchup at home against defending champion Seattle after a short week.

The schedule eases somewhat after that stretch, with games against Arizona, Carolina, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Miami, the Jets, and a rematch with Kansas City filling out the slate. However, none of it is guaranteed to be easy given how the season opens.

Wilhoite’s civil case is scheduled for trial in March 2027 if it doesn’t settle beforehand. This mean, it will likely still be pending well into the coming season regardless of what role he ends up filling in Denver.