The Denver Broncos’ search for Nathaniel Hackett’s replacement promises to be one of the most intriguing during this NFL coaching cycle.

Hackett lasted less than a year in the Mile High City, winding up as the less expensive scapegoat for the Broncos’ 4-11 record to date. Whoever replaces him will be tasked with revitalizing an offense that is last in the league in points scored this season.

Russell Wilson is enduring the worst season of his career. But with Denver committing $245 million to the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback before the start of the season, the 34-year-old quarterback isn’t going anywhere.

So it made sense when SportsBetting.ag installed former Saints coach Sean Payton as the +400 favorite to become the Broncos’ next coach shortly after Hackett was fired on Monday.

However, it’s a defensive coordinator that has since vaulted to favorite status.

Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, one of three Dallas assistants on the list, opened at +500 but has since shifted to the +100 favorite.

Next Broncos Head Coach Odds
Dan Quinn, Cowboys defensive coordinator (+100)
Sean Payton, Former Saints coach (+400)
DeMeco Ryans, 49ers defensive coordinator (+800)
Frank Reich, former Colts coach (+1000)
Shane Steichen, Eagles offensive coordinator (+1100)
Ejiro Evero, Broncos defensive coordinator (+1200)
Jim Caldwell, former Colts, Lions coach (+1200)
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan coach (+1200)
Kellen Moore, Cowboys offensive coordinator (+1400)
Eric Bieniemy, Chiefs offensive coordinator (+1600)
Leslie Frazier, Bills defensive coordinator (+2000)
Brian Schottenheimer, Cowboys analyst (+2500)
Byron Leftwich, Bucs offensive coordinator (+2500)
Darrell Bevell, Dolphins QBs coach (+2500)
Brian Flores, Steelers LBs coach (+3300)
Peyton Manning, Former Broncos QB (+6600)
Bill Cowher, Former Steelers coach (+7500)

Quinn has previous NFL head coaching experience – something the past three Broncos coaches have lacked – and led the Atlanta Falcons to the Super Bowl.

Highly respected in NFL circles, Quinn would no doubt have access to a number of highly qualified offensive coordinators to install an offensive scheme better suited to Wilson’s style.

Payton still has the second-shortest odds. He’s reportedly eyeing a return to the sideline in 2023 and has assembled the majority of his staff, including former Broncos coach Vic Fangio as his defensive coordinator.

Reich was fired by the Indianapolis Colts this season and is another candidate who would bring NFL head coaching experience.

Or do the Broncos take another stab at an up-and-coming coordinator?

The list includes 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and current Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.

SportsBetting.ag is also having fun with the Broncos’ coaching search, offering odds on several extreme longshots to take the job.

Former Broncos head coaches Gary Kubiak and Mike Shanahan are being offered at +10000 along with former Super Bowl winning quarterback and team president John Elway. Former Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe is also being offered at +10000.

Perhaps the most amusing name on the list is Seatttle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll at +15000.

Carroll drafted Wilson out of Wisconsin and the two won a Super Bowl together. The Seahawks traded Wilson last offseason after his relationship with Carroll deteriorated over the past several years, and the two have taken subtle jabs at each other since parting ways.

–Field Level Media

The Denver Broncos offered a view of the road moving forward on Tuesday, one day after head coach Nathaniel Hackett was fired.

At a press conference Tuesday, Broncos CEO Greg Penner offered an apology to “Broncos Country” with the team now in search of its fourth different head coach since Gary Kubiak led the club to a Super Bowl victory at the end of the 2015 season.

“When we purchased this great franchise in August, this was not the season we were expecting, and it has been a season that has been disappointing for our fans and what they deserve,” Penner said.

With high hopes after the addition of quarterback Russell Wilson in the offseason, the Broncos are 4-11 this season and just 3-10 under Wilson. The decision to fire Hackett came after Wilson threw three interceptions in Sunday’s brutal 51-14 loss on Christmas Day against the Los Angeles Rams.

Wilson has completed a career-low 60.1 percent of his passes for 3,019 yards with just 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

“We saw flashes of Russ this year. He will be the first one to tell you he didn’t play up to his standard,” Penner said.

Said general manager George Paton: “We know he can play better and will put in work to be better.”

Penner said Tuesday he intended to part ways with Hackett at the end of the season but sped up the timetable after Sunday’s embarrassing defeat.

Paton went a step further.

“I take full responsibility for where we are as a football team,” he said. “I brought in the head coach, I brought in most of the players, those are my decisions and there’s no one to blame but me.

“I just want to be clear. This isn’t just about the coaching. This isn’t just about Nathaniel. This is about the entire football operation. This about the personnel, the players, the staff, everyone involved with our football team. It has to be better across the board. I have to be better.”

The Broncos signed Wilson to a five-year, $245 million contract extension with $165 million guaranteed before the start of the season. That was after trading tight end Noah Fant, defensive tackle Shelby Harris, quarterback Drew Lock, first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, second-round selections in 2022 and 2023 and a 2022 fifth-rounder to Seattle.

The Broncos rank last in the NFL in scoring with just 15.5 points per game.

Denver will complete the season with assistant Jerry Rosburg as the interim head coach. The interim position was offered to defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, but he declined, preferring to focus on the defense.

Evero is expected to be a candidate for a full-time position, although he has never been a full-time NFL head coach. Each of the team’s last three head coaches – Hackett, Vic Fangio and Vance Joseph – were all first-time head coaches when they were hired by the team.

“I am a big believer that if start with the right culture, right people, right resources and expectations, we can build a winning team,” Penner said. “And I don’t think it takes a number of years. The focus will be turning it around next year.”

–Field Level Media

All-risk, no-reward stands as the objective predicament the Tennessee Titans face for Thursday’s date with the Dallas Cowboys.

The Titans (7-8) can improve their record but risk injury while gaining no ground in playoff positioning until the Jan. 8 winner-take-all AFC South showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Even if the Jaguars beat the Houston Texans to improve to 8-8, should Tennessee lose Thursday, the division title would still on the line when the teams meet head-to-head.

“We’re at where we’re at,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said of the dichotomy of pushing to solve a five-game losing streak even with the option to rest players Thursday. “We’re trying to figure out what’s the most important thing, what’s best for the team, what’s best for the player.”

Lagging confidence brought by a winless December — Tennessee’s last victory was Nov. 17 at Green Bay — and injuries to key personnel including quarterback Ryan Tannehill (ankle) might be enough to convince Vrabel to use select starters in a cameo on a short week.

“Whatever I’ve got to do,” Titans running back Derrick Henry said on Tuesday after practicing in a limited capacity because of a hip injury. “Whatever coach needs me to do, I’ll be ready to do.”

After listing nearly 40 percent of the active roster on the injury report last week, Vrabel finds himself in tight quarters in his own locker room thanks to comments regarding the commitment of players outside of their supervised work schedule at team headquarters. Given that backdrop, pulling back on preparation at this juncture of the season could be a catch-22, but Vrabel said the team’s best interest is the only variable right now.

“I have a lot of respect for most of these guys that have been here. My job is to listen, find out what each and every player, coach is thinking and make a decision in the best interest of the football team,” Vrabel said.

In addition to Henry, the other positive injury news for Tennessee on Tuesday was the health of the secondary. Cornerback Kristian Fulton was a limited practice participant after missing three consecutive games with a groin injury. Safety Amani Hooker (knee) practiced for the first time in three weeks but was also limited.

Vrabel said Tannehill is “disappointed he can’t help us right now” but praised the team’s leaders for their approach to Week 17. The Titans are preparing rookie Malik Willis to start in the face of profound struggles pushing the ball down the field. Willis is 31 of 61 for 276 yards with zero touchdowns, three interceptions and has been sacked 10 times.

Dallas (11-4) is the top wild-card team in the NFC and maintains the slimmest hope of catching the Philadelphia Eagles in the East division.

“Honestly, I don’t ever really care what they’re doing on the other side,” Prescott said. “It’s about us just building momentum and gaining confidence with each game, and moving forward as we play these last two (games) out and move over into the postseason.”

Even if the Titans opt to roll out their “A” team, recent trends are not on their side. The Titans are averaging 15.2 points per game since scoring a season-high 27 points to beat the Packers. In the same timeframe, the Cowboys scored 223 points (Tennessee has 269 for the season), an average of 37.2 over a six-game stretch.

The Cowboys are still trending upward after a 40-34 comeback win over the Eagles last week, their fifth victory in six games. While the pass rush has slowed with one quarterback sack in the past three games, the body of work is daunting: 49 sacks and a plus-12 turnover margin. The Titans are minus-3.

And Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy isn’t fretting the downturn in pass-rush production and gave no thought to the idea of resting key players to match Tennessee’s lineup.

“I think the only people that need to be worried about our pass rush are (the teams) we line up against,” he said Tuesday.

The Cowboys can win the NFC East if the Eagles lose their final two games and Dallas beats the Titans and Washington Commanders. Philadelphia locks up the division and home-field advantage throughout conference playoffs with a victory Sunday against the already-eliminated New Orleans Saints (6-9).

“If [the Titans] wanna roll us the ball a couple times and let us go from there, I’m all for that,” Prescott said. “We’ll take it however they want to do it.”

But their own injury concerns could impact both sides of the ball. Cowboys guard Zack Martin (knee) was a full practice participant. Running back Tony Pollard (thigh) and linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (neck) did not practice.

Among limited participants Tuesday were linebacker Micah Parsons (hand), safety Jayron Kearse (elbow/back) and defensive ends DeMarcus Lawrence (foot) and Sam Williams (concussion).

–Field Level Media