Broncos bringing back Vance Joseph after Rex Ryan flirtation

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The Broncos are bringing back their former head coach to run Sean Payton’s defense.

Denver is hiring Vance Joseph as its new defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports, after a search that included interviewing former Jets head coach Rex Ryan.

Joseph, 50, became the Broncos head coach in 2017 but was fired after going 11-21 in two seasons. He was the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator for the last four seasons.

Ejiro Evero was the Broncos’ defensive coordinator last season, but was let go when Payton ended his one-year NFL hiatus to take Denver’s head coaching job. Evero was hired by the Panthers to be their new defensive coordinator.

Ryan, 60, has been out of the league since 2016, when he was fired by the Bills with one game left in his second season in Buffalo. He’s been working for ESPN as an analyst since then.

Ryan had previously said the Bills would be his last coaching stop, but he was obviously intrigued by the idea of joining forces with Payton.

The Jets hired Ryan as their head coach in 2009 after he spent four years as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator. Ryan led the Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship game appearances in his first two seasons, but they failed to make the playoffs over the next four years. He was fired after going 4-12 in 2014.

Joseph was the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator in 2016 and had previous stops as an assistant with the Bengals, Texans and 49ers.

The Broncos also reportedly interviewed the Patriots’ Matt Patricia for the defensive coordinator job before hiring Joseph.

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