And just like that, the coaching dominoes are falling into place for the Denver Broncos. After hiring Vance Joseph as defensive coordinator, Broncos head coach Sean Payton is reuniting with another former assistant.
According to 9NEWS' Mike Klis, Joe Lombardi is joining the Broncos offense in a "coordinator-type role."
Sources tell 9NEWS Payton is bringing Lombardi with him to Denver to help him lead the Broncos’ offense. Lombardi’s title is yet to be determined but it will be in a coordinator-type role.
Considering how Payton will be the main offensive brainchild and play-caller, Lombardi's role with the Broncos will likely be similar to what it was during his previous stints with the New Orleans Saints. Lombardi served as an offensive assistant and, later, as QBs coach in two different stops with Payton in New Orleans.
Lombardi's last gig was as offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Chargers, where he served the past two seasons. He was fired following L.A.'s early playoff exit in January. After being debriefed, Lombardi's experience with the Chargers could be quite helpful to the Broncos' efforts in neutralizing Justin Herbert.
Lombardi, 51, is the grandson of legendary Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi, for whom the coveted Super Bowl trophy is named. A former tight end at Air Force, Joe began his coaching career at the University of Dayton in 1996, and garnered his first NFL gig with the Atlanta Falcons as a defensive assistant back in 2006.
The first decade or so of Lombardi's coaching career was on the defensive side of the ball. It wasn't until he connected with Payton in New Orleans that Lombardi's area of expertise shifted to the offense.
In between his first and second stints with the Saints, Lombardi served as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator for two years (2014-15) under then-head coach Jim Caldwell. Lombardi returned to New Orleans in 2016, where he remained until accepting the promotion with the Chargers in 2021.
We'll soon know exactly what title Lombardi will hold under Payton in Denver, but if nothing else, his experience coaching upper-echelon quarterbacks should be very helpful to Russell Wilson.
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