For months, the Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton openly backed his team’s defensive coordinator Vance Joseph as a future head coach in 2026. However, when this offseason passed without Joseph landing a job, Payton did not hide his frustration. Instead, he turned his attention toward the other 31 NFL teams and took shot on them on how they handled their searches.

“It’s hard to tell … there are 32 of these teams that are owned individually, and everyone is different,” Payton said at the NFL scouting combine. “And yet, a lot of them have trouble getting out of their own way.”

As per Payton, many organizations overthink the process instead of recognizing proven leadership. He also strongly defended his defensive coordinator’s resume in the Mile High City. He called Joseph’s calm presence his “superpower” and insisted he consistently gets the best out of his players.

During Joseph’s tenure, the Broncos ranked among the top three teams in points allowed for the past two seasons. They also topped the league in sacks (68) last year, achieved a 14-3 record, and made it to the AFC championship game for the first time in ten years.

“I am a little surprised, with the season we had as well as how well we played defensively and 10 openings,” Payton said.

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Joseph interviewed virtually for six of those 10 jobs in early January, yet none of those teams called him back for a second meeting. That reality clearly did not sit well with Payton. However, Joseph’s journey shows he has earned another shot.

He played quarterback and running back at Colorado, and then, as he joined the NFL, he switched to the cornerback position. However, after spending two seasons as a player, he moved into coaching with the 49ers, Texans, Bengals, and Dolphins. He then took on the role of the head coach for Denver from 2017 to 2018 and coordinated Arizona’s defense from 2019 to 2022. The following year, he returned to the Broncos.

So, Payton remains confident that Joseph’s time will come.

“He felt like he had a handful of interviews that were productive and good opportunities,” Payton said. “I know when that opportunity comes, he’ll be successful.”

Until then, the Mile High City keeps its defensive leader, while the rest of the league hears Payton’s message loud and clear.

Vance Joseph will be back as Sean Payton’s DC in 2026

After not getting the head coaching job, Vance Joseph will return to the Broncos. DNVR’s Zac Stevens reported that Joseph told people inside the building he planned to return in 2026, and the final coaching moves around the league confirmed it.

“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,” Stevens wrote. “That all becomes official with all of the head coach positions around the league being filled.”

This news takes on greater significance when you reflect on the near miss that could have altered everything. The Broncos already lost their potential in-house successor, Jim Leonhard, who joined the Bills. And if Joseph also departed, it might have led to a complete overhaul of the defense, a situation that would have been challenging for the Broncos.

After a shaky start in 2023, Joseph turned the Broncos’ defense into one of the league’s most reliable units. Under his watch, the Broncos led the NFL in sacks for the second year in a row. They also allowed touchdowns on just 42.6 percent of red zone trips. According to PFSN’s Defensive Efficiency metric, Denver sits at a league-best 90.1 grade.

Moreover, the defense played a crucial role in the team’s impressive 14-3 record. During the divisional round, they created five turnovers against the Buffalo Bills, with four of those coming from quarterback Josh Allen. In the AFC title game, they kept the pressure on Patriots quarterback Drake Maye throughout the night, even though the outcome wasn’t in their favor.

Now, with Super Bowl or bust expectations next season, Sean Payton will be happy to keep his trusted defensive voice for a fourth year.