DeMeco Ryans Makes Final Decision on Broncos’ HC Job: Report

DeMeco Ryans

Getty San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans looks on during a playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys.

It’s been over a month since the Denver Broncos fired head coach Nathaniel Hackett and the search for their next head coach continues.

After reports came out that the Broncos’ top candidate Jim Harbaugh told Denver twice that he was staying at Michigan, Denver turned their attention to San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans.

Denver and the Houston Texans became the finalists for Ryans and after San Francisco’s playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, it’s likely Ryans will be taking the Texans’ head coaching job.

According to Woody Paige of the Denver Gazette, Ryans has told the Broncos that he is not interested in their head coaching position.

During the morning of January 30, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network thinks, Ryans and the Texans could finalize a deal sooner than later.

Ryans played for the Texans for six seasons and his wife is from Houston.


Ryans Impressed Denver in His Interview

During one of his weekly radio hits on 104.3 The Fan in Denver, Mike Klis explained that Ryans impressed the Broncos during his interview.

“DeMeco is someone they’re very impressed with. I know they wanted experience, but this guy with as thin as his resume is, it’s very impressive. People are speaking very highly of him and comparing him to Mike Tomlin when it came out 16 years ago.” Klis added, “Penner wasn’t closeminded to the experience, he kept an open mind and DeMeco Ryans came to the forefront at least right now. He’s someone that I do believe they would like to reel in.”

When Broncos CEO and owner Greg Penner last met with the Denver media on December 27, he explained that he needs someone who can lead his team.

“Obviously, the X’s and O’s are important, but we need a strong leader for this organization that’s focused on winning. That starts with culture. It’s instilling a sense of accountability, discipline, and we need an identity on offense. At the starting point, it’s got to be about culture and leadership. Those characteristics are what we’ll be focused on the most.”


Broncos Are Running Out of Candidates

In the first-round of interviews, the Broncos interviewed eight head coaching candidates, but it appears that they could be running out of candidates.

With Harbaugh and Ryans telling the Broncos that they’re not interested, that leaves Denver with just six candidates that they interviewed.

The Broncos have yet to setup a second interview with any of the candidates that they’ve already talked with.

According to Rapoport and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Rams DC Raheem Morris, former Stanford coach David Shaw, former Lions and Colts coach Jim Caldwell and Broncos DC Ejiro Evero interviewed for the job, but all were told this week the team was going another direction.

This leaves the Broncos left with former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.

The former Super Bowl winning head coach met with the Arizona Cardinals on January 26, but now the Cardinals could be looking in a different direction.

Arizona has requested permission to speak with Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and ESPN’s Adam Schefter thinks the Cardinals could be out of the Payton sweepstakes.

Payton last met with the Broncos during their interview on January 17.

“I think in the next week, we’re going to know a lot more,” Payton said on Fox Sports NFL pre game show.

If the Broncos don’t end up convincing Payton to become their next head coach, the Broncos are going to have to do some more digging for the right guy that can lead them back to the playoffs.