The Denver Broncos came up just short of a Super Bowl berth, falling to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. And while the final score won’t sit well in Denver, it’s hard to overlook the effort from a defense that once again showed why it was one of the NFL’s elite units in 2025. Holding the Patriots to just 10 points-without the offense doing much to help-was a testament to how far this group has come under defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
Joseph’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed. After leading a dramatic turnaround on that side of the ball, he’s become one of the hottest names on the head coaching market. And if linebacker Jonathon Cooper’s postgame comments are any indication, Joseph may already be on his way out of Denver.
“He’s the best DC I’ve had,” Cooper said after the loss. “And I’m happy that he’s… um, I don’t know exactly what to say ‘cause I don’t know all that he’s said. But he’s a great coach.”
That slip-up might’ve said more than Cooper intended. Joseph has interviewed for multiple head coaching jobs this cycle. He sat down with the Ravens, Giants, and Titans, though those teams ultimately went in different directions-Baltimore hiring Jesse Minter, New York bringing in John Harbaugh, and Tennessee turning to Robert Saleh.
Still, Joseph remains very much in play elsewhere. The Arizona Cardinals have been strongly linked to him, and the fit makes a lot of sense.
Joseph spent four years as the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator from 2019 to 2022. Now, with the team moving on from Jonathan Gannon after a rough three-year stretch, they’re reportedly looking for a more experienced hand to steer the ship.
Joseph checks that box, having served as the Broncos’ head coach from 2017 to 2018 and now overseeing one of the league’s top defenses during his second stint in Denver.
And what a turnaround it’s been. When Joseph returned to the Broncos as DC, the defense ranked 29th in the league.
Fast forward to 2024, and they jumped all the way to seventh. This year?
Second overall. That kind of progress doesn’t happen by accident.
It’s the result of smart scheming, player development, and a coordinator who knows how to get the most out of his unit.
If Joseph does land the Cardinals job-as many now expect-it would be a full-circle moment and a big step for a franchise looking to reset its culture. For Denver, it would mark the start of a new chapter on defense.
And it might not stop with Joseph. Assistant coaches Davis Webb and Jim Leonhard are also drawing interest from around the league and could be on the move this offseason.
So while the Broncos’ season ended a game shy of the big one, their defensive identity-and the man who helped shape it-are making waves across the NFL. Whether it’s in Arizona or elsewhere, Vance Joseph looks poised to take the next step. And in Denver, change is very much in the air.