One storyline from the NFL head-coaching cycle this offseason was that Black coaches had a difficult time getting hired.
There were 10 teams looking for a new head coach and none of the open spots went to a Black coach. The coach who came the closest might have been Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who got multiple interviews due to his work leading a fantastic Broncos defense each of the last two seasons. Joseph didn’t get one of the open jobs, and he’ll return to the Broncos.
That’s good news for the Broncos, but Denver head coach Sean Payton was still confused over why Joseph didn’t get a head-coaching spot. Payton did not mention the aspect of no Black head coaches being hired this offseason when he was asked about Joseph not being hired, but he clearly thought NFL owners made a mistake passing on his defensive coordinator.
“It’s hard to tell … there’s 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.”
Payton praised Joseph, whose Broncos defenses have finished top three in the NFL in points allowed each of the last two seasons. Denver led the NFL in sacks last season, went 14-3 and advanced to the AFC championship game for the first time in 10 years.
That got Joseph interviews, but not any head coaching job.
“I am a little surprised, with the season we had as well as how well we played defensively and 10 openings,” Payton said.
Payton said Joseph is adept at getting the best out of his players, and his calming influence is his “superpower.”
Joseph’s first stint as a head coach, when he went 11-21 with the Broncos in 2017 and 2018, might have worked against him. However, four of the 10 new hires this cycle were on their second stints as head coaches. New Titans head coach Robert Saleh, who is of Lebanese descent, has a 20-36 career record as a head coach.
Payton joked, “I love that he’s back” in reference to Joseph, but appeared confused over why Joseph was passed over.
“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.”