Greg Penner

AFC West Rumors: Ross, Broncos, Williams

October 26th, 2023 at 9:59pm CST by Ely Allen

While Chiefs wide receiver Justyn Ross is dealing with some pretty serious issues off the field, his inability to get onto the field before then never made much sense to people. Yet, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, it was his problems on the field that kept him from making more of an impact.

After an incredibly productive freshman and sophomore year at Clemson, injuries and a bit of a downgrade at quarterback would keep Ross from reaching those heights again for the remainder of his college career. Even after those late struggles kept him from being drafted, many believed that a transition to the NFL, coupled with the opportunity to work in an offense with Patrick Mahomes, would result in a return to greatness for the former top-100 recruit.

Ross would spend his rookie year on injured reserve following offseason foot surgery but would finally enter the 2023 season ready to make his NFL debut. Instead, what we’ve seen is a role receiver who plays mostly on special teams while occasionally rotating in on offense.

Breer’s report claims that there are legitimate football issues keeping him off the field. While Ross is a big body at receiver, he’s not very versatile, struggling to create separation with speed or route-running. In an offense that requires its weapons to contribute in several different ways, it becomes less surprising that Ross is only able to find the field in certain situations.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of the AFC West, starting with an update on one of the Chargers‘ top missing weapons:

Los Angeles has been tasked with running an effective offense without wide receiver Mike Williams following the veteran receiver’s season-ending ACL tear. While his status for this year is obviously not going to change, Williams underwent a successful surgery yesterday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. This may not provide much solace to fans in 2023, but undergoing surgery at this point sets the expectation that Williams will be fully ready by training camp next year.
The Broncos made an alteration to their ownership shares earlier this month, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. With the team’s chief executive officer Greg Penner has been handling day-to-day operations since the Walton-Penner group purchased the organization, the Broncos’ controlling owner Rob Walton transferred a block of his shares to Penner, allowing Penner to take the mantle of controlling owner in addition to CEO. Penner’s four children will also receive an allotment of Walton’s shares in the exchange.
Denver cornerback K’Waun Williams suffered a setback from a preseason foot surgery that was reported this week to likely be season-ending. The setback required further surgery, which Williams underwent this past Monday, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette. The procedure on Williams’ left ankle reportedly went “very well” and will require a recovery period of approximately 12 weeks, allowing him to return in time for spring football practice.

Extra Points: Jefferson, Maye, International Pathway Program

September 14th, 2023 at 9:42pm CST by Ben Levine

An undrafted wideout is working his way back to the field following a tragic car crash earlier this year. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, the 49ers worked out Louisiana receiver Michael Jefferson today.

Jefferson earned third-team All-Sun Belt honors in 2022 after finishing with 51 receptions for 810 yards and seven touchdowns. Thanks to his performance, the receiver was projected to be a mid-round pick in the 2023 draft. However, Jefferson was injured in a car accident in April that killed another driver, and the player required multiple surgeries.

He was expected to resume his career in 2024, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported earlier this month that Jefferson had been cleared by doctors to “fly, take physicals and join a team.”

It sounds like his first opportunity could come in San Francisco. The 49ers are currently stashing four receivers on their practice squad in Willie Snead, Chris Conley, Tay Martin, and Isaiah Winstead.

More notes from around the NFL…

Saints safety Marcus Maye got six months of probation stemming from a 2021 driving under the influence charge, per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. Maye will have his drivers license suspended for six months as a result of the plea deal, and he was also given 50 hours of community service with the opportunity to buy them out. Maye allegedly crashed into another car while driving on the Florida Turnpike and was initially charged with driving under the influence, DUI/damage to property and person, and leaving the scene of the crash. The player also continues to deal with a civil suit from the driver of the other car who is seeking $30K due to injuries.
The NFL International Pathway Program has expanded in scope since it’s inception in 2016, with the 2023 iteration allowing teams from the AFC West and NFC North to allocate an extra roster spot to an international player. According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, the NFL will provide an international player exception to all 32 teams starting in 2024. There are currently 24 active players who participated in the International Pathway Program.
The NFL has established an ownership committee that will evaluate current ownership rules, potentially allowing “institutional capital” to invest in teams, per Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal. As Liz Clarke, Nicki Jhabvala and Mark Maske of the Washington Post write, this committee could open the door to private equity firms buying stakes in teams, following the ownership rules previously established by the NBA, MLB, and NHL. Mike Klis of 9News in Denver reports that the committee includes Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, and Broncos owner Greg Penner.

Sean Payton Addresses Russell Wilson, Decision To Pass On Cardinals

February 9th, 2023 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Terry Bradshaw made a bit of noise during Super Bowl week, saying ex-FOX coworker Sean Payton was leery of working with either Russell Wilson or Kyler Murray.

Payton interviewed with two teams that roster returning quarterbacks — the Broncos and Cardinals — and two teams without settled starters (Panthers, Texans). He ended up choosing Denver, but Bradshaw said (via Newsday’s Tom Rock, on Twitter) he accepted the Broncos’ offer in spite of Wilson and did not want to work with Murray. Noting when Bradshaw is interviewed, “you hold your breath, because you don’t know what’s going to come out,” Payton addressed why he chose the Broncos — a job that will feature a Wilson cleanup task in 2023.

“For me, the first thing was ownership and general manager. That triangle needed to be strong,” Payton told Kay Adams on her Up & Adams show Thursday. “… With Russell, we’ve got someone who’s won a lot of games, who’s been successful. And then it’s really looking at, ‘Hey, what are the things he does well?’ I think anytime you have a season where it’s 5-12 or whatever their record was, my experience from afar is, generally speaking, there are a lot of people with dirt on their hands — not just Russ. That falls on other players; that falls on the coaching staff. I think those things we can clean up and correct.

“More importantly, [the decision centered on] going to the place where ownership is in place and supportive and has a clear vision and the general manager’s in place, those are the key, critical factors.”

Payton has spoken highly of both new Broncos CEO Greg Penner and third-year GM George Paton. Although Payton has been connected to bringing in former GM and longtime Saints staffer Jeff Ireland, Payton compared Denver’s GM to Mickey Loomis. For the time being, it looks like the Payton-Paton setup is not in jeopardy of splintering.

Paton’s headline 2022 acquisition encountered quick turbulence. Wilson struggled for most of the season acclimating to Nathaniel Hackett‘s offense and flashed concerning form in his age-34 campaign. But he angled for Payton, reaching out to the longtime Saints HC and Drew Brees about the fit. Payton will now be in charge of salvaging the Broncos’ big-ticket quarterback get.

“We spoke briefly,” Payton said of a pre-hire conversation with Wilson. “Latavius Murray is one of my former players, and he’s played with a number of teams. He’s one of those guys you like being around. We had a great experience with him in New Orleans. I got a text right at the end of the season. He said, ‘Man, we have to find a way to get you here — me and backfield teammate.’ When I heard that, I thought of running back. Then I thought of who else is in his backfield? I texted and said, ‘Who is your backfield teammate?’ He sent the number three. It was Christmas time and I said, ‘Be careful what you’re asking Santa for.’ That was my response. We kind of went from there.”

The Broncos fired Hackett on Dec. 26, and Payton became the team’s top target soon after. He made the Broncos his first meeting and said that was not due simply to logistics. While Payton offered praise for Kyler Murray, he said his “instincts were pushing me in a direction with Denver.”

This promises to be an eventful period for a Broncos team that has followed up its Super Bowl 50 win with seven straight playoff absences. The team gave Wilson and his team considerable privileges upon acquiring the longtime Seahawk, allowing him input into the offense and permitting his camp access to the facility. This involved a private office for the quarterback and access for his personal coach, Jake Heaps. Payton will be making some changes on that front. While Payton said he was unfamiliar with the previous arrangement, he confirmed (video link via SI.com’s Albert Breer) Wilson would not be working with his personal coach while at the facility.

The Cardinals have yet to hire a head coach; it appears likely no decision is coming until after Super Bowl LVII. Shortly after the team’s Payton meeting, new candidates Lou Anarumo and Mike Kafka entered the mix. Those two may well be the Arizona finalists. Anarumo’s second interview is set for Friday.

“I think [Murray] is extremely talented, and I think they have the same challenges there that we have in Denver,” Payton said, via Adams (Twitter link). “They are very similar challenges. Culture in the building has to be better. It just does.”

Latest On Broncos’ Coaching Search

January 30th, 2023 at 9:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the offseason enters its fourth week, this Broncos ownership group’s first coaching search looks to have skidded off track. A host of updates have emerged in recent days regarding the new owners’ HC pursuit, but the team’s preferred candidates are mostly out of the picture.

Jim Harbaugh loomed as a frontrunner early but bowed out of the race, while Dan Quinn was well-regarded during his time in the derby. He recommitted to the Cowboys for a second straight offseason. The Texans look to have the inside track for DeMeco Ryans, who had gained steam with the Broncos late last week. For the time being, the Sean Payton-to-Denver talk has faded.

While CEO Greg Penner flew to Ann Arbor to meet with Harbaugh, the meeting caught other Broncos HC candidates off-guard, according to The Athletic’s Mike Sando (subscription required). Harbaugh said the Broncos’ job would be the one he’d want if he returned to the NFL, with this stance emerging not long after the longtime Michigan HC recommitted to his alma mater. But the Broncos are not believed to have made an offer. Harbaugh remains at Michigan, and Denver’s set of second-tier candidates do not appear closer to landing the job.

Despite this rocky search, Troy Renck of Denver7 notes the other batch of candidates the Broncos have met with — Rams DC Raheem Morris, former Lions HC Jim Caldwell and ex-Stanford HC David Shaw — have not gained momentum for the job. With DC Ejiro Evero also not being connected to the post since interviewing nearly three weeks ago, this would leave Payton still atop the team’s wish list. Indeed, the Caldwell-Evero-Morris-Shaw contingent has been informed no second interviews are on tap, 9News’ Mike Klis notes.

Payton made the Broncos his first interview; that occurred more than two weeks ago. Initial reports indicated Payton was behind the new Broncos ownership contingent, but a subsequent offering suggested pause. Payton directly refuted that he feared a power struggle with one of the team’s new owners, and the former Super Bowl-winning HC addressed his status over the weekend. The door remains open for Payton, per Renck, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport suggested the franchise still wants to swing for a “big, big, big” hire.

Payton, 59, is the only candidate who would seem to fit that description, and other teams may be realizing they will not be able to entice him to leave FOX this year. Linked to preparing a big Payton push, the Panthers hired Frank Reich. The Cardinals adding a host of new candidates Monday points to them realizing Payton is likely an unrealistic goal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com offered during a Pat McAfee Show appearance (video link). Payton interviewed with the Cardinals on Thursday. It will take a first-round pick and at least some Day 2 selections to pry Payton’s rights from New Orleans, but the way this search is going, hints of desperation may soon come out of Denver.

If the Broncos cannot lure Payton from FOX, they will either need to circle back to what appear to be their lower-tier candidates or add names to the list. As of Monday night, no new names are on the radar, Klis reaffirms, adding the Broncos will not send the Saints two first-round picks for Payton. That was a rumored Mickey Loomis ask weeks ago. For a team that entered the offseason preparing an “ultra-aggressive” search for an experienced HC to execute a turnaround, this figures to be a pivotal week for its new ownership contingent.

Broncos, Jim Harbaugh Met Over HC Vacancy; Team To Expand HC Search?

January 29th, 2023 at 9:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 29, 9:40pm: Troy Renck of Denver7 is in line with the NFL Network pair in terms of the new names being added to Denver’s search with things having not gone according to plan so far. However, 9News’ Mike Klis reports (via Twitter) that the Broncos are actually still focused on their original list of candidates who are still available, and that “there is a plan” the organization is on course to follow. In any case, Denver will be a key team to watch as the HC story unfolds in the coming days.

JANUARY 29, 7:30am: Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com hear that, even after Harbaugh’s announcement that he would be remaining at Michigan, he continued to have conversations with Penner and Broncos GM George Paton. Penner did not make an offer to Harbaugh during last week’s summit, though it does not appear that the door to a Harbaugh-Denver partnership is closed quite yet. Indeed, Harbaugh has reportedly said that the Broncos’ job is the one that he would want if he elects to return to the pros.

Both NFL.com and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter) say that the Broncos could begin to expand their head coaching search given that some of their top choices in Payton, Harbaugh, Ryans, and Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn are either out of the running entirely or no longer appear to be likely options. If that happens, Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan could get a call, and the club has reportedly done research on Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.

In addition, NFL.com reports that candidates like Raheem Morris, David Shaw, Jim Caldwell, and Ejiro Evero could all be back in play, although Troy Renck of Denver7 suggests otherwise (Twitter link).

JANUARY 28: Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh was once again one of the names most commonly floated as a candidate in advance of this year’s NFL head coaching cycle. However, he ultimately remained committed to staying in Ann Arbor for at least the 2023 season, a decision which seemed to mark the end of his involvement in discussions surrounding the league’s remaining vacancies.

Despite that, Broncos CEO Greg Penner flew to Ann Arbor to meet in person with Harbaugh last week, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The latter interviewed with Denver virtually as part of their initial list of candidates to replace Nathaniel Hackett; his experience made him – along with Sean Payton – a serious contender for the position before he made it official he will once again stay at the college level.

As Schefter notes (and several others have since corroborated), the sit-down was primarily a matter of Penner doing his due diligence with Harbaugh. Denver’s HC search has been far more methodical this offseason than the one in 2022 which resulted in Hackett being hired for his first opportunity as a bench boss. His marked lack of success in that post has, in part, steered the organization towards an experienced coach. Harbaugh no longer being in the running could change that to an extent, especially if Payton ends up on another staff or remains as a Fox analyst for the 2023 season.

Harbaugh, 59, interviewed with the Vikings last year and was connected to the openings in Denver, Carolina and Indianapolis in 2023 prior to his announcement confirming he will still coach the Wolverines. In the wake of that decision, the Broncos have shifted their attention to the likes of defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans. The latter seems to be a top target for Penner and Co., though signs are now pointing to him being the frontrunner for the Houston vacancy.

That could put more pressure on the Broncos to land Payton, something which would require draft compensation being sent to the Saints and a sizeable contract being doled out for his services. Earlier this week, however, Payton’s second interview with Denver was put on hold, so uncertainty remains on all sides in that situation. In any case, Schefter adds that some feel this cycle was likely be the last in which Harbaugh was a serious candidate to re-join the NFL coaching ranks, though this in-person meeting suggests he could still draw interest in 2024.

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

Broncos Interview Jim Caldwell, David Shaw; Latest On Sean Payton, Jim Harbaugh Pursuits

January 11th, 2023 at 9:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

9:35pm: Add another list to the Broncos’ head coaching search. Denver interviewed former Stanford head coach David Shaw on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Shaw recently resigned from his post at Stanford after two consecutive 3-9 seasons. Despite the dismal finish to his career, Shaw left the Cardinal with a 96-54 record as a head coach.

Before becoming a mainstay in Stanford, Shaw held assistant coaching roles with the Raiders and Ravens coaching quarterbacks and wide receivers. His success at the NFL level combined with his winning tradition at Stanford made Shaw a hot commodity in the NFL, especially after the immediate NFL success of his Stanford predecessor, Jim Harbaugh, following his rise to the pros.

NFL teams will finally have their opportunity to kick the tires on Shaw, and it appears the Broncos are the first to do so. It would certainly be an interesting fit as Shaw has connections to fellow Stanford alumni Penner and Rice.

12:52pm: The Broncos added another name to their HC search. They are meeting with former Colts and Lions coach Jim Caldwell on Wednesday, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets.

Caldwell’s interview will be in-person, 9News’ Mike Klis adds (via Twitter). A fixture on coaching carousels in recent years, Caldwell has already met with the Panthers. Caldwell’s AFC championship in Indianapolis and two playoff berths in Detroit aside, his entry into this race qualifies as a lower-profile development considering the other names connected to the Broncos.

Sean Payton has spoken with the Broncos, and an interview is expected. The team can interview Payton beginning Jan. 17. But some doubt regarding Payton’s interest in this job has emerged. The Broncos may want Payton more than vice versa, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com notes, and colleague Jeremy Fowler adds the prospect of a long-term Russell Wilson partnership has generated some skepticism around the league.

Wilson had the Saints on his 2021 list of acceptable trade destinations — before the Broncos landed on that list and became his preference — and Payton, from his FOX analyst role, offered some possible solutions to address Wilson’s stunning performance drop-off this season. The 16-year Saints HC is expected to be choosey, though he has said on multiple occasions he will likely coach again. Payton has also analyzed every team’s depth chart in preparation for a potential NFL return. A franchise quarterback is not a requirement for Payton, Jeff Howe of The Athletic writes (subscription required), but a path to one would move the needle. Although Wilson showed signs of his pre-Denver self to close the season, he probably does not qualify as a franchise QB after the year he had.

Payton would also be expected to bring his own personnel staff to Denver, Graziano adds, which could spell more trouble for Broncos GM George Paton. New Denver ownership’s curious plan of having both Paton and the next head coach report to ownership also could sound alarm bells for Payton, Howe adds, though that might not be too much of a concern given the price the Broncos will need to pay to lure Payton. It would not exactly be expected Denver would hire a new GM that is not approved by Payton, for whom the team may well need to trade a first-round pick.

A report Tuesday placed Harbaugh as an early frontrunner, but Fowler clarifies the Michigan HC is behind Payton. If the latter turns down the Broncos, Harbaugh will be the favorite. Harbaugh is rumored to be prepared to bring Tom Gamble, the former 49ers player personnel director who is now with the Wolverines, with him, per Fowler.

Unlike the Panthers, who were believed to be confused when Harbaugh reached out to them, Tom Pelissero said during a Dan Patrick Show appearance the Broncos contacted Harbaugh (video link). New CEO Greg Penner and co-owner Condoleezza Rice‘s ties to Stanford — where Harbaugh coached from 2007-10 — are driving this interest. The Broncos have done extensive research on the former 49ers coach, Fowler adds.

The Colts were rumored to be interested in Harbaugh, but they have not interviewed him yet. It would not surprise if such a meeting took place, with Fowler adding the Colts job appeals to Harbaugh. Jim Irsay‘s overreaching last year has made the Colts job less of a draw for some, Howe adds, but Harbaugh did play for the Colts for four seasons in the 1990s and holds a spot in their ring of honor.

Caldwell, 67, has been out of the league since a Dolphins one-off as an assistant HC in 2019. He joins Payton as an offense-oriented candidate. The rest of the Broncos’ candidate list includes defensive staffers — Ejiro Evero, Dan Quinn, DeMeco Ryans, Raheem Morris. Among this lot, Quinn, who interviewed for the Denver job last year, looks to have the best shot of landing the position, Pelissero adds. Quinn has ties to Paton dating back to their Dolphins days, though he appears to be a fallback option at this point.

Broncos HC Fallout: Penner, Paton, Payton, Hackett, Evero, Rosburg, Rypien, Risner

December 28th, 2022 at 3:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

George Paton‘s status with the Broncos has taken some hits this week. Although the second-year GM is set to remain in his post, it appears the decisions to hire Nathaniel Hackett and trade for Russell Wilson have cost him.

New Broncos CEO Greg Penner is set to play a major role in the team’s next HC hire, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. With the Broncos still in the process of putting the team up for sale when they conducted the search that produced Hackett, Paton led the hiring process. Penner said he will rely on Paton during the team’s latest hiring effort, but with it being the new ownership’s first HC search, it should be expected the GM will not have final say.

Paton’s situation reminds somewhat of Joe Douglas‘ with the Jets, though the former has not been on the job as long. Douglas has rebuilt the Jets’ defense to the point the team is a playoff contender, and this year’s draft class has helped the team considerably. But the Zach Wilson investment has gone south fast. Paton passed on Justin Fields for burgeoning star cornerback Patrick Surtain II and landed high-end starters Javonte Williams and Quinn Meinerz in Rounds 2 and 3, while also adding outside linebacker Baron Browning on Day 2 of last year’s draft. Denver collected first- and fourth-round picks for Bradley Chubb at this year’s deadline, helping to fill the draft-capital void created by the Wilson trade. While several of Paton’s moves have worked out, the Wilson-Hackett partnership undercut them and has the former Vikings lieutenant on thinner ice.

It is not known if Paton or ownership pushed to have Wilson signed long-term before this season. Conversations ramped up once Penner arrived along with Rob Walton, and the team wanted to avoid waiting until 2023 to extend the QB. But the five-year, $245MM extension is off to a shockingly poor start. Penner announcing that the next HC will report to him and not Paton strips the latter’s power to the point Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk posits the next Broncos coach will have the chance to run the football operation. Paton, 52, has held that role since arriving last year.

The Broncos have experienced ups and downs with a coach running the show, going from Mike Shanahan in this role to the overmatched Josh McDaniels, who held de facto GM power upon being hired in 2009. Considering new ownership’s deep pockets and a potential offer to run football operations, the Broncos would present an intriguing opportunity for an experienced head coach. That is believed to be the direction Denver heads this time, after seeing first-time hires Vance Joseph, Vic Fangio and Hackett underwhelm.

“I’ve worked with a lot of great CEOs, and it starts with really strong leadership,” Penner said. “I think that’s going to be the most critical factor here in a head coach. Obviously the X’s and O’s are important, but we need a strong leader for this organization that’s focused on winning. That starts with culture, it’s instilling a sense of accountability, discipline, and we need an identity on offense. At the starting point, it’s got to be about culture and leadership, and those characteristics are what we’ve focused on the most.”

Frank Reich, Jim Harbaugh, Dan Quinn and Sean Payton are believed to be on the early radar. The Broncos could make a strong run at Payton, Fowler adds, though it is not certain the former Saints HC is interested. Harbaugh has a relationship with Broncos consultant John Elway, who ran the team’s football ops for 10 years, and minority owner Condoleezza Rice due to each’s Stanford ties. Rice worked with Harbaugh during his time with the Cardinal, per Florio, adding an interesting wrinkle to the upcoming search.

As for the team’s current setup, interim HC Jerry Rosburg said (via 9News’ Mike Klis, on Twitter) DC Ejiro Evero declined the chance to be the interim option out of loyalty to Hackett. Evero and Hackett have been friends since they were college teammates at UC-Davis. The league has also shifted away from promoting interim coaches, with Doug Marrone being the most recent such hire back in 2017. The Broncos still want to interview Evero, though the first-time DC does not profile as an experienced candidate.

Rosburg, 67, also said (via ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold, on Twitter) it was his decision to fire special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes and offensive line coach Butch Barry. Both were Hackett hires. Rosburg also confirmed it was Paton, not Hackett, who brought him out of retirement to be the team’s game management assistant. Hackett’s run of issues during the season’s first two weeks led to the hire. The sideline confrontation between Brett Rypien and Dalton Risner also contributed to the early Hackett dismissal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link), as it was a sign the first-year coach was losing the team. Penner said off-field matters led to the early firing. Randy Gregory, who threw a punch at Rams offensive lineman Oday Aboushi and faced a suspension, cited Hackett’s tenuous status as HC in his successful appeal to the league, Klis tweets.

Broncos Owner Greg Penner Echoes Nathaniel Hackett Support

October 28th, 2022 at 7:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

Sunday’s game in London will provide Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett with another opportunity to quell concerns about his job status. General manager George Paton spoke in favor of keeping the rookie HC in his post yesterday; one of the team’s owners echoed that sentiment when speaking publicly today.

“I support Nathaniel and really want to see him succeed,” Greg Penner said, via 9News’ Mike Klis. “He’s a first-time head coach. There’s a lot of new things to get in place… But he knows we’re not performing at the level we expect, but we’ve got high expectations for him in the second half.”

Penner, the Broncos’ CEO and a member of the Rob Walton-led group which purchased the team this summer, inherited Hackett as head coach. The 42-year-old has led an offense which has been severely underwhelming to date, and ranks last in the league in scoring. At 2-5, Denver has frequently been named as a potential seller at the trade deadline – a stark contrast to preseason expectations which counted the team among the AFC’s contenders.

Much of the increase in optimism was tied, of course, to the acquisition of quarterback Russell Wilson. Before his regular season debut, a long-term deal had been agreed upon; Penner played a role in authorizing that $245MM extension. As he did with Hackett, the latter expressed confidence in a resurgence during the second half of the 2022 season when asked about the maligned passer.

“Russell’s won a lot of games in the NFL,” Penner said. “Russell knows how to win. The specifics on the contract area, that’s a place where I do rely on George and his expertise. I think he is going to be a great quarterback for us.”

While Penner declined to give a full vote of confidence to Hackett for the remainder of the season – a change in offensive play-caller has been thought to be on the table recently – his public support of the status quo on the sidelines is noteworthy. The team’s performance on Sunday against the Jaguars could go a long way in determining how much of an appetite exists for changes affecting both the roster and coaching staff from the new personnel at the top of the organization.

Broncos Name Damani Leech Team President

August 11th, 2022 at 11:20am CST by Sam Robinson

In addition to the Broncos now officially having new ownership, they will have another new decision-making presence. The team hired Damani Leech as its next president.

Leech, who spent the past three years as COO for NFL International, will join GM George Paton in reporting to Broncos CEO Greg Penner. The latter is the son-in-law of new owner Rob Walton. This will usher considerable change for the Broncos, who had Joe Ellis in place as their top executive for the past several years.

“Damani is highly regarded throughout the National Football League for his leadership, strategic vision and collaborative spirit,” the team said in a statement. “As a former college player with executive experience at both the NFL and NCAA levels, Damani understands the value of teamwork and knows what it takes to win—on and off the field.”

In addition to his NFL International role, Leech worked in the league office in different capacities over the past eight years. In the 17 years prior to that, Leech worked at the NCAA national office in Indianapolis.

Ellis was part of the three-person Pat Bowlen Trust that was in charge of the franchise, after the Hall of Fame owner stepped away from the team as he battled Alzheimer’s. Pat Bowlen died in 2019. Pat Bowlen’s youngest daughter, Brittany, was the NFL’s preferred candidate to succeed him. Days before Walton officially became the team’s owner, Brittany Bowlen stepped down from her post within the organization.

Penner said ownership will not become too involved in Broncos personnel decisions, via Troy Renck of Denver7 (on Twitter), being set to cede football ops-related responsibilities to Paton and HC Nathaniel Hackett. The new Broncos ownership was mum on Russell Wilson‘s contract situation, and although Penner mentioned (via Renck, on Twitter) Peyton Manning and John Elway as possible options to take on roles with the team, neither is firmly attached to anything. Both Hall of Famers were at the press conference this week introducing Walton and Co., however. All four ownership finalists spoke with Manning about a role with the team; Elway remains a consultant to the front office.

Terrell Davis Joined Josh Harris’ Ownership Group; More Fallout From Broncos Bidding

June 14th, 2022 at 1:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Broncos went for an American sports-record $4.65 billion — to the Rob Walton-fronted group — last week, Walton’s was not the only bid that would have shattered the NFL record.

Josh Harris‘ group is believed to have bid between $4.25 billion and $4.5 billion, Mike Klis of 9News reports. Harris, who owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, was prepared to go $5 billion for the Broncos, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. But he was not assured Walton would not top that bid. That led to Harris’ group standing down, letting Walton’s bid win the historic sweepstakes. Harris is prepared to pursue ownership of another NFL team, Florio adds.

Tied to a net worth greater than $70 billion, putting him in position to be by far the NFL’s wealthiest owner, Walton had long been considered the frontrunner to acquire the AFC West franchise. Walton’s daughter (Carrie Walton Penner) and son-in-law (Greg Penner) are expected to run the day-to-day operations, Klis adds. Walton, 77, will continue to live in Arizona. Owners of the league’s other 31 teams will vote on this sale soon.

While Magic Johnson was part of Harris’ group, Klis notes Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis joined that investment team as well. Davis, 49, starred for the Broncos in the 1990s, seeing a 1999 knee injury shorten his career, and played seven seasons with the team.

“They reached out; we talked,’’ Davis said, via Klis, of his affiliation with Harris’ bid. “They said they were interested in bringing me in as part of their ownership group and they wanted to know if the feeling was mutual. And it certainly was. And then it was waiting to see what would happen. I was on standby hoping for the bid, but obviously it never came.”

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