The Denver Broncos’ offseason just got even more complicated. Assistant head coach Jim Leonhard is headed to Buffalo, where he’s expected to become the Bills’ new defensive coordinator. It’s a significant loss for Sean Payton’s staff - and the timing couldn’t be worse.
Leonhard’s departure is the latest in a string of setbacks for a Broncos team that’s been through the wringer in recent days. It started with a crushing AFC Championship loss to the New England Patriots, ending Denver’s Super Bowl run.
Then came the firing of offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi. And just when it seemed like things might settle down, quarterback Bo Nix publicly pushed back on Payton’s comments about his injury history.
Now, with Leonhard leaving, the coaching staff takes another hit - and the pressure on Payton only increases.
Leonhard, 43, had been a rising figure on Denver’s sideline. A former NFL safety with a 10-year playing career, he joined the Broncos in 2024 as defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator.
His impact was quickly felt, and he earned a promotion to assistant head coach ahead of the 2025 season. His next stop is Buffalo, where newly hired head coach Joe Brady is assembling his staff after the Bills parted ways with Sean McDermott following their playoff loss - ironically, to these same Broncos.
Leonhard was one of Brady’s top targets for the defensive coordinator role, and he got his man.
For Denver, the loss stings. Leonhard played a key role in the Broncos’ defensive resurgence, especially in the secondary. His departure leaves a gap that Payton now has to fill while also navigating a tense locker room dynamic.
That tension was on full display after Nix’s injury in the AFC title game. The rookie quarterback suffered a broken ankle late in the matchup against Buffalo - a brutal blow that ended his postseason and required surgery. But the real drama came after the game, when Payton made headlines by suggesting the injury was almost inevitable due to Nix’s supposed history with ankle issues.
“It was not a matter of if, it was a matter of when,” Payton told reporters.
Nix didn’t take kindly to that. He fired back, saying Payton’s comments were off base and misinformed.
“I don’t think he really should share how many surgeries I’ve had in the past, to be honest with you,” Nix said. “He doesn’t even really know that.”
The young quarterback also pushed back on the idea that he had a pre-existing condition. According to Nix, the injury was nothing more than a freak accident.
“Nothing predisposed, nothing that was there originally,” he said. “That might have gotten confused.
It was just a simple step with my foot up in the air. My body weight came down on it and sort of got twisted up.”
He described the play as routine - just one of those unlucky moments that happen in football. “It could have been a worse landing, but I think all that force went into the only place it could,” Nix added.
The public back-and-forth between quarterback and coach raised some eyebrows around the league. And now, with Leonhard gone, there’s even more uncertainty in Denver.
Payton entered this past season with a clear vision for turning the Broncos into contenders. But with a reshuffling staff, a quarterback recovering from surgery, and some tension bubbling beneath the surface, the road ahead looks anything but smooth.
The Broncos are entering the offseason with a lot of questions - and not just about Xs and Os.