Sean McDermott talks to the media during training camp in 2010. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

I just mused in the comments section that the Philadelphia Eagles just made their defensive coordinator Sean McDermott available, cutting him loose after his defense held the Green Bay Packers (who beat the white hot Atlanta Falcons 48-21 last night) to just 21 points in last week’s playoff game.

Now our friend, the NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi has just went live with the news that McDermot is already in contract talks with Denver.

“The Denver Broncos are the leading candidate today, I understand he is in contract talks with them today,” Lombardi went on to state that the Carolina Panthers and Packers were also interested. “He’ll end up some place, my guess is it will be Denver.”

McDermott was let go by Philadelphia possibly because of weak halftime adjustments, amongst other things; the Eagles defense finished 21st overall in points, 13th in yards and 15th in passing yards and rushing yards in 2010.

McDermott was named the interim defensive coordinator in 2009 after Jim Johnson was forced to take a medical leave of absence, following Johnson’s death McDermott was named the official defensive coordinator.

McDermott has spent his entire professional coaching career with the Eagles, coaching the team’s secondary, linebackers and defensive coordinator.

UPDATE: McDermott has signed with the Panthers according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.

According to Jason LaCanfora of NFL.com, Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy will return to the team next season to continue his tutelage of quarterback Tim Tebow.

LaCanfora says the team is in the process of finalizing a deal to keep McCoy with the Broncos after his services were reportedly sought in the same position by the Kansas City Chiefs after Charlie Weis left for the University of Florida as well as the Cleveland Browns.

This is perhaps the strongest signal yet that new head coach John Fox intends on moving forward with Tebow as his starting quarterback instead of Kyle Orton. The Broncos have been rumored to be asking anywhere from a second to third round pick for Orton as soon as a new collective bargaining agreement is reached.

Until then, no players may be traded to other teams.

As far as the rest of his staff, Fox has yet to select a defensive coordinator but former Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks head coach Jim Mora Jr. is reportedly a candidate according to Jeff Legwold of the Denver Post. This too is perhaps a sign the Broncos are preparing to return to a 4-3 defense after running a 3-4 the past two seasons.

A majority of the offensive staff remains to be formally named, but Legwold also states that it’s likely that former interim head coach Eric Studesville will stay on in his former position of running backs coach. What that could mean for the Broncos potentially returning to a zone blocking scheme remains to be seen.

All in all, this should not come as much of a surprise to anyone. The biggest of the Broncos’ problems are on the defensive side of the ball so it would make sense that that staff would be the one seeing the largest turnover.

With McCoy staying, it provides Tebow much needed continuity going into his second year. With a very turbulent labor situation, having the same coaches around only will help No. 15 continue to grow and develop.

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Denver Broncos head coach 108027723addresses the media at Dove Valley on January 14, 2011 in Englewood, Colorado. Fox was named the 14th head coach in Broncos history yesterday after spending the last nine seasons as head coach of the Carolina Panthers. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

John Fox took the podium shortly after noon Friday, and the reign of the 14th head coach in Denver Broncos history began.

It promises to be a reign in stark contrast to the previous regime: the new coach is a polar opposite of his predecessor. Fox is an experienced, level-headed, defensive-oriented head coach of nine years; Josh McDaniels was a raw, passionate, offensive-oriented rookie.

So on Friday, Fox didn’t make promises of a quick fix and didn’t look to enthrall the fanbase. His demeanor was calm, confident, and straightforward, and his message was clear: “I’m the guy. I’ll fix this.” Click here to read the rest of this entry »

John Fox interviews with Denver Broncos executives John Elway, Joe Ellis, Brian Xanders et al (courtesy Denver Broncos)

John Fox will be introduced as the 14th head coach of the Denver Broncos at 12pm MST today, and we’ll be tweeting quotes and nuggets as they unfold.  Follow us there or feel free to keep the conversation in-house via the live blog/chat window below.

LIVE: Denver Broncos head coach John Fox introductory press conference [DenverBroncos.com]

John Fox looks over the field before an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

John Elway has just announced via his Twitter account that John Fox has been named the newest head coach of the Denver Broncos.

In a string of Tweets Elway stated,

“[Fox] is a dynamic and proven leader who will energize our entire organization. John has coached great defenses, turned teams around and been to Super Bowls. We couldn’t be more excited to have him lead the Denver Broncos.”

Fox is 73-71 (.503%) all time with a 5-3 (.625%) record in the post-season, he has been a head coach exclusively with the Carolina Panthers.

Coach Fox is a member of the Chuck Noll coaching tree; Fox has served under Noll, Bobby Ross, Art Shell, Mike White, Rich Brooks and Jim Fassel. Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio served as a coordinator for Fox in Carolina.

In 2003; one season after taking over in Carolina, Fox led the Panthers to the Super Bowl and lost by a last second field goal by the New England Patriots‘ Adam Vinatieri.

More as this story comes in. Meanwhile, your comments and reactions below!

Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway and Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, left, gather for a photo during an NFL football news conference at the team's headquarters Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011, in Englewood, Colo., where Elway was named the team's executive vice president of football operations. (AP Photo/ Ed Andrieski)

Former Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels came to Denver from New England and tried to convert the Broncos into doing things the “Patriot Way,” the way that led the Pats to three Super Bowl titles in four years.

If “Patriot Way” was in a dictionary, here is what you would likely find for its definition: “Being as broad and non-specific about injuries and personnel moves while also looking for any competitive edge possible and create a all for one and one for all team mentality.”

McDaniels tried to do exactly that in Denver and failed.  Check that. He EPICALLY failed and was promptly shown the door in the aftermath of Spygate II, the most embarrassing moment in the history of the proud Denver Broncos franchise.

Enter Broncos legend John Elway on a white horse and a whole new way of doing business in the National Football League.

Click here to read the rest of this entry »

John Elway and Pat Bowlen gather for a photo during and NFL news conference. (AP Photo/ Ed Andrieski)

Jim Harbaugh is out, Leslie Frazier is out, Jason Garrett is out, Gary Kubiak is out, Ron Rivera is out.

Mike Mularkey postponed his interview with the Denver Broncos until after the Atlanta Falcons are finished with the playoffs.

That leaves two of the original five expected to interview for the Broncos head coaching position: Eric Studesvilles and Perry Fewell. If you’re keeping count that’s a total of three former Buffalo Bills (if you count the recently self removed Gregg Williams) head coaches and two former interim coaches along with John Fox who has yet to interview, but is on the list as soon as the snow cooperates.

Now we have former Broncos offensive coordinators Rick Dennison and Jim Fassel (hopefully) thrown into the mix, Dennison is thus far the only coach in that group to have interviewed for Denver’s previous coaching vacancy which championed Josh McDaniels. For the most part the other coaches who interviewed for the position that the (forced) departure of Mike Shanahan created have ended up on their feet: Steve Spagnuolo (St. Louis Rams), Raheem Morris (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Frazier (Minnesota Vikings), and Garrett (Dallas Cowboys). It seems as if McDaniels was the only one of the group to not make his team better. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

As they say, third times the charm.

For the third consecutive year, former Denver Bronco tight end Shannon Sharpe has been named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.  The 2011 class will be announced the week of Super Bowl XLV.

Named to the Broncos Ring Of Fame in 2009, Sharpe retired leading all tight ends in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.  Furthermore, he owns more Super Bowl rings, Pro Bowl selections, career receptions, yards and touchdowns than Every tight end enshrined in Canton, Ohio.

It’s outrageous that Sharpe is not yet in the Hall, this better be the year he gets in. Former Broncos running back Terrell Davis should be soon to follow as well.

Sports Illustrated Columnist Peter King

Many Bronco fans and football media are in frenzy this afternoon following Peter King’s appearance on NBC’s pre-game of the Saints at Seahawks matchup.  King stated that he had a conversation with John Elway in which he quoted the new Broncos V.P. as saying:

“I don’t think Tim Tebow is a good NFL quarterback at this time.”

PK went on further to say that fans shouldn’t be surprised if Josh McDaniels lands in Minnesota as the new offensive coordinator that McD might push the Vikes to try and swing a big trade deal to bring Tebow to Minnesota.  That along with his Elway quote figuring that the Broncos would be willing to facilitate this trade scenario.

Click here to read the rest of this entry »

John Elway & John Lynch look on during the Stanford and Virginia Tech 2011 Discover Orange Bowl game. (REUTERS/Hans Deryk)

Short of a link, Mike Florio and co. are up to it again, quoting Sports Illustrated‘s (and NBC’s) Peter King who in turn was quoting John Elway in saying,

“I don’t think Tim Tebow is a good quarterback at this level at this time.”

Talk about blow up/out.

Who is supposed to lead the team now? A second round draft pick for Kyle Orton sounds ridiculous with Elway’s rational as the man (Orton) who at several points in 2010 led the NFL in passing is now all of a sudden a front-runner in the non-existent quarterback controversy in Denver.

The controversy has just started. While Elway did not endorse Orton, he absolutely didn’t endorse Tebow as the 2011 starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos.

Fans have seemingly thrown their support behind Tebow and have somehow forgotten the fact the Orton played very well throughout the season despite a non-existent running game.

So where are your allegiances at now Nation? This quote brings up much more questions and concerns about where the team is heading. One thing is certain, we have no idea…