After firing special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica on Friday, the Denver Broncos will now seek a replacement.
There’s one obvious candidate.
Darren Rizzi served as a special teams coordinator under Sean Payton with the New Orleans Saints from 2019-2021. When Payton left the team in 2022, Rizzi was promoted to assistant head coach in addition to his ST role.
Rizzi took over as an interim head coach in New Orleans last fall after the Saints fired Dennis Allen. The 54-year-old Rizzi went 3-5 in 2024.
Rizzi will get an opportunity to interview for the Saints’ full-time job, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has said Rizzi is “available,” seemingly suggesting New Orleans is going a different direction for their HC opening. Rizzi also interviewed for the New York Jets’ HC job.
One potential in-house candidate for the Broncos is assistant special teams coach Chris Banjo, who has interviewed for a coordinator position with the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. Rizzi seems like the name to watch, though.
Payton’s staff last fall included 14 former Saints. We’ll see if Rizzi’s name is added to that list in 2025.
