The regular season is done, and we’re ready to roll into the playoffs and the hiring cycle …
• The Broncos’ process, captained by new CEO Greg Penner (the front man for the Walton ownership group) is well underway, and it’s focused, as expected, on coaches who have previous experience in the role. Four of the six candidates they’re planning interviews with—Sean Payton, Jim Harbaugh, Dan Quinn and Raheem Morris—have been head coaches before, with Niners defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans and internal candidate Ejiro Evero, the team’s current DC, standing as the two outliers.
While the pursuit of Payton or Harbaugh could end up looking more like a recruitment than an interview process, I do get the sense that Penner, who wasn’t around for the hire of Nathaniel Hackett, is excited to conduct a thorough process, and it sounds like he’ll have an open mind with it.
