Perception is reality. On the Denver Broncos side, they are struggling to find a new head coach.
News broke Saturday that Broncos CEO Greg Penner and general manager George Payton flew to Michigan last week to try to reopen talks with Jim Harbaugh. The Broncos went home without a Harbaugh deal.
While some rumors claimed that Harbaugh was opening the door for Denver and that the Broncos would be his coveted job if he returned to the NFL, he didn’t take any of the bait offered. Before the recent Harbaugh news broke, we also learned that the Broncos may be expanding their search by looking at “unknown” candidates (not disclosed).
Sunday morning, as the NFL began its conference championship weekend, we learned more about who some of the expansion candidates might be. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported hearing the name of New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka associated with the Broncos.
“I have spoken to several teams who believe that Denver has done research on other potential candidates. Mike Kafka Giant Organizer is one of the names I’ve heard,” Fowler tweeted.
Without further ado, KOARRadio’s Benjamin Albright – a very reliable insider – mentioned Kafka’s name, along with the names of Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, according to the Broncos’ head coach job.
“I believe the new Broncos roster and search is focused on Eagles John Gannon, Giants Mike Kafka and Bengals Brian Callahan,” Albright tweeted.
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Last year, the Broncos interviewed Gannon and Callahan before hiring Nathaniel Hackett. Rumor has it that Denver is impressed with Gannon. The decision was up to Hackett, and Gannon was ignored, possibly due to Payton’s reluctance to hire another new head coach with a defensive mindset. Reviews as to why Callahan didn’t make the lineup were sparse.
Gannon’s Eagles are in the NFC title game and Callahan’s Bengals are in the AFC title game and both will likely advance to the Super Bowl. He likes a lot as a head coach candidate, but Denver may have to wait until after the Super Bowl to hire him.
Meanwhile, Kafka is now available. A former professional quarterback, Kakfa began coaching in the NFL under Andy Reid in Kansas City in 2017, where he coached Patrick Mahomes for four years and was eventually named Pass Game Coordinator.
Last year’s Giants appearance was Kafka’s first season as a true offensive coordinator, and it came under head coach Brian Dabor. As the NFL prepares to give way to former No. 10 overall Daniel Jones, the young quarterback suddenly looks more alive as Dabbul and Kafka lead the Giants to the playoffs and the Joker wins the round.
Reed’s coaching tree is intriguing, and it’s a little surprising that Kafka wasn’t included in Denver’s original list of head coaches. The Broncos need a head coach who can make the most of Russell Wilson, and Kafka is sure to create some problems in that regard. The same can be said for Callahan, who led the ascent of former No. 1 overall Joe Burrow at Cincy.
As of this writing, there have been no reports that the Broncos have formally requested permission to interview any of the three candidates, but that could change on Sunday. Rumors of DeMeco Ryans and Sean Payton on the Broncos front have cooled off, but that doesn’t mean they can’t resume after this weekend.
Chad Jensen is the founder of Mile High Huddle and creator of the popular Mile High Huddle podcast. Chad has been with the Denver Broncos since 2012.