Vance Joseph's Confident Return to Denver Broncos as Sean Payton's DC

Former Broncos head coach Vance Joseph has returned to Denver as an assistant coach, saying he relishes the opportunity to work for new Broncos head coach Sean Payton. Payton had originally planned to hire Vic Fangio, but he joined the Dolphins instead. Payton praised Joseph's professionalism and leadership, and Joseph expressed his admiration for Payton's coaching abilities. Joseph aims to help Payton end the Broncos' playoff drought and win games. He also mentioned former Broncos coach Wade Phillips, who returned as the team's defensive coordinator and won a championship.

Vance Joseph, the former head coach of the Denver Broncos, had no reservations about returning to the team as an assistant coach, unlike his predecessor Vic Fangio. Joseph, who had a record of 11-21 during his tenure as head coach from 2017-2018, expressed his excitement about coming back to Colorado and working under new head coach Sean Payton. He stated that Denver still feels like home to him and it was the perfect opportunity.

Initially, Payton had intended to hire Fangio, who had a record of 19-30 during his time in Denver from 2018-2021. The two had planned to work together after taking a break from football last season. Payton spent the year as a Fox football analyst after stepping down as head coach of the New Orleans Saints, while Fangio took a year off after being fired by the Broncos. However, Payton had to change his plans when he accepted the Denver job, as Fangio had recently been fired and had joined the Miami Dolphins as their defensive coordinator.

Although Joseph wasn't Payton's first choice, he highly regards him as a top-notch coordinator. Payton appreciates Joseph's calmness and professionalism, as well as his ability to communicate effectively and lead effectively. Payton believes that Joseph's history in Denver was never an issue and predicts that he will have another opportunity to be a head coach in the NFL.

Joseph, on the other hand, has been impressed by Payton's expertise as a head coach. He finds it enjoyable to observe Payton's operations on a daily basis. Payton, who had a record of 161-97 in New Orleans and won a Super Bowl in 2009, faces the challenge of turning around a struggling Broncos team that hasn't had a winning season since their Super Bowl victory in 2015.

Joseph's goal is to help Payton end the Broncos' playoff drought and bring the team back to winning records. He is excited about the opportunity to match wits and work with Payton during practices this summer. Joseph believes that Payton is one of the best play-callers in NFL history and admires his ability to keep opponents guessing with his personnel groups.

When asked about his return to the Broncos after being fired, Joseph stated that he didn't have any negative feelings or bad memories. He understands that the NFL is a league of winning, and if a team doesn't perform well, changes are inevitable. Joseph is focused on playing great defense for Payton and winning games.

Joseph also mentioned the example of Wade Phillips, who returned to the Broncos as their defensive coordinator after being their head coach in the early 1990s. Phillips played a crucial role in helping the team win Super Bowl 50 in 2015. Joseph revealed that Phillips reached out to him shortly after he signed back with the Broncos and reminded him of his own journey from head coach to coordinator and winning a championship. Joseph hopes to follow in Phillips' footsteps and achieve similar success.