Perception is reality. And from the outside looking in, the perception is that the Denver Broncos are floundering in their search for a new head coach.
On Saturday, news broke that Broncos CEO Greg Penner and GM George Paton flew to Michigan last week in an effort to rekindle talks with Jim Harbaugh. The Broncos contingent went home without a Harbaugh deal.
While some rumors claim Harbaugh is keeping the door open to Denver and that the if he returned to the NFL, the Broncos would be the job he'd want, he didn't bite on whatever bait was offered. Before the recent Harbaugh news broke, we also learned that the Broncos might be expanding their search with "unknown" candidates (un-publicized) being considered.
On Sunday morning, as the NFL kicks off Conference Championship Weekend, we learned a little more on who some of those expanded candidates might be. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that he's heard the name of New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka linked to the Broncos.
"I’ve talked to a few teams who believe Denver has done research on other potential candidates. Giants OC Mike Kafka is one name I heard," Fowler tweeted.
A bit closer to home, KOARadio's Benjamin Allbright — a very reliable insider — floated Kafka's name, as well as that of Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, in connection with the Broncos' head-coaching vacancy.
"I believe the Broncos new list and search is focused on Eagles DC Jon Gannon, Giants OC Mike Kafka and Bengals OC Brian Callahan," Allbright tweeted.
The Broncos interviewed Gannon last year before hiring Nathaniel Hackett. Word on the street was that Denver was very impressed by Gannon. The decision was Hackett, while Gannon was passed over — probably because Paton was reluctant to hire another defensive-minded first-time head coach.
Gannon's Eagles are in the NFC Championship Game and could very well advance to the Super Bowl. There's a lot to like about him as a head-coaching candidate, but Denver would have to wait until after the Super Bowl, potentially, to hire him.
Meanwhile, Kafka is available now. A former pro quarterback who got his NFL coaching start under Andy Reid in Kansas City back in 2017, Kakfa served as Patrick Mahomes' position coach for four years, and was eventually promoted to passing game coordinator before leaving for greener pastures last year.
The Giants gig last year was Kafka's first season as a bonafide offensive coordinator, and under head coach Brian Daboll, it bore fruit. As the NFL was ready to throw in the towel on former top-10 draft pick Daniel Jones, the young quarterback suddenly looked more than viable under Daboll and Kafka as he led the Giants to the playoffs, winning in the Wildcard Round.
The Reid Coaching Tree is attractive, and it's a bit of a surprise that Kafka wasn't included on Denver's initial list of head-coaching candidates. The Broncos need a head coach who can get the most out of Russell Wilson and Kafka would certainly bring some skins on the wall in that respect.
As of the writing of this article, there have been no reports on the Broncos officially requesting permission to interview either Kafka or Gannon, but that could change as soon as Sunday. The DeMeco Ryans and Sean Payton buzz has cooled on the Broncos front, but that doesn't mean it couldn't be reignited after this weekend.
Stay tuned.
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