Report: DB Coach Jim Leonhard to Remain with Broncos in 2025

A 2005 undrafted free agent, Leonhard headily played safety in the NFL for a decade — including a one-year stint with the Broncos — before transitioning to coaching. He served as Wisconsin's defensive backs coach (2016), defensive coordinator (2017), and interim head coach (2022), and as Illinois' DBs coach/pass game coordinator in 2023.

Last year, his star at its brightest, Leonhard, 42, leapt to the professional ranks and accepted a position on Broncos HC Sean Payton's staff.

"Jim was someone that I had spoken with last offseason," Payton said at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. "He actually played for us briefly. I know he played for Denver for a year. He had hip replacement surgery last year, so he was going to be in a position where he couldn't commit to a full time job. He helped out Illinois. I think that he's extremely bright and he was as a player. He solved all the problems as a player. He was in Buffalo, with the Jets, Baltimore and Denver. He played for 10 years and I think he's got one of these high ceilings that we see with some young coaches."

Leonhard was an instrumental component to a Broncos defense that finished third in scoring and seventh in total yards this season. Under his tutelage, cornerback Patrick Surtain II earned first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl (and potentially Defensive Player of the Year) honors while the club enjoyed solid contributions from CBs Riley Moss and Kris Abrams-Draine and safety Brandon Jones.

“I picked up a lot just from the offseason leading up here to training camp," Surtain said last July. "Just his knowledge of the game, his understanding of the game. How he processes things helps us as players really get to slow the game down because his experiences help a lot in the room. I just think he’s an excellent coach as far as understanding the X’s and O’s. He’s been there before, and he’s also understanding towards the players as well.”