Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph emerged as a hot commodity during the hiring season, but no concrete steps followed. Despite leading the league’s second-best defense and interviewing with several teams, the Denver Broncos coach ended up without an offer. That decision took many by surprise, with former offensive tackle Ryan Harris sharing his frustration publicly. 

“It’s a crime Vance Joseph did not get a head-coaching position especially when there are far less proven coaches that did get…jobs,” Harris said, via Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson on X. 

Harris’ irritation over Vance Joseph’s snub is understandable given that the coach oversaw the Broncos’ surpassing the single-season franchise record with 68 sacks, topping his previous mark from 2024 by five. In total, ten teams were in the market, with seven showing interest in Joseph. These included the Titans, Ravens, Giants, Raiders, Cardinals, Falcons, and Browns. 

When the last two remaining teams closed their head coach openings, it was clear that the teams passed on the Broncos’ defensive mind. The fact that teams passed on the Broncos’ defensive mind despite interest from 10 teams was, as Harris put it, akin to a crime.

The Raiders brought in Klint Kubiak while the Cardinals moved forward with Mike LaFleur. The outcome feels unfair and harsh, especially given what Joseph has pulled off in Denver.

The Broncos also finished second in overall defense, allowing just 278.2 yards per game. Moreover, his unit ranked second in run defense (91.1), third in scoring defense (18.3), and seventh against the pass (187.2). Simply put, the defense played top-tier football and shone on a bigger stage when required. One such night was the recent AFC Championship 10-7 loss to the New England Patriots.

Against the brutal snow conditions, Joseph’s unit held quarterback Drake Maye to just 86 passing yards (the MVP candidate’s lowest all season) and forced five sacks. Overall, they allowed the opponent to produce only 206 total yards and ten points. Unfortunately, a questionable fourth-down decision by HC Sean Payton led to two missed field goals, wasting that standout performance.

While Joseph’s snub stings, it certainly benefited the Broncos, who just lost Jim Leonhard to the Buffalo Bills. A former defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach, Leonhard now serves as a coordinator. Had they lost Joseph as well, Payton would have to deal with a crisis in that area. 

Joseph’s situation is a prime example of a broader, league-wide issue with minority hiring that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was recently forced to address.

After Vance Joseph’s snub, Goodell weighs in on the Rooney Rule

Speaking at the NFL press conference on Monday, Roger Goodell admitted the league needs to assess its handling of minority hiring. After the coaching cycle concluded, the results raised concerns, as only one minority candidate secured a head coach position among ten vacancies. The worst part? Nobody of African-American descent filled any of the seats, sparking renewed criticism of the league’s hiring process.

It was also not in line with the NFL’s 2023 Rooney Rule, which requires franchises to interview minority candidates for head coaching and other important roles. Named after the late Steelers owner Dan Rooney, the NFL enacted the rule to promote diversity. Goodell addressed the issue, offering a hopeful update.

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“We need to continue to make progress,” Goodell said Monday. “I believe that and I believe diversity is good for us…I think we have become a more diverse league across every platform, including coaching. But we still have more work to do.”

Heading into next season, the league will have just three head coaches of African-American ethnicity. This marks only the fifth time since 2003 that an offseason ended without somebody from the community taking on the leadership role. The last similar situation occurred in 2013, when eight teams had openings, and none chose a candidate of this origin.

As for the minority candidate, Robert Saleh, who is of Lebanese heritage, has joined the Tennessee Titans as head coach. Meanwhile, Goodell also addressed speculation about expanding the regular season by adding an extra regular-season game in place of one preseason/exhibition game. He revealed that there had been no talks with the NFL Players’ Association about the move. Back at hiring concerns, the NFL faces growing pressure to back its words with meaningful action.