The Denver Broncos have hired Gary Kubiak to be their new head coach, the team officially announced on Monday. Despite previously insisting he would stay with the Baltimore Ravens as the offensive coordinator, Kubiak will instead return to a head coaching position for the first time since being fired by the Houston Texans. Kubiak is the 15th head coach in Broncos history.
Gary Kubiak named Broncos head coach
Kubiak was John Elway’s backup during his playing career with the Broncos.
Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
In Denver, he would replace John Fox, who parted ways with the team due to lack of postseason success. In four seasons, Fox led the Broncos to a 46-18 record in the regular season, but a 3-4 record in the playoffs.
Kubiak is 61-64 as a head coach with a 2-2 postseason record, but he does have a lengthy history with the Broncos. From 1995-2005, he was the team's offensive coordinator and also coached the quarterbacks during the John Elway-led Super Bowl runs in 1997 and 1998. Before that, Kubiak was Elway's backup for nine seasons in Denver. His friendship with Elway -- now the Broncos' general manager -- likely played a big role in the hire, especially considering the sometimes contentious relationship between Fox and Elway.
In eight seasons as head coach, Kubiak led the Texans to the playoffs twice, but they failed to advance past the Divisional round in both seasons. After a disappointing 2-11 start to the 2013 season, Kubiak was fired from the Texans. The 53-year-old moved on to Baltimore, where he guided the offense to a No. 12 ranking, the team's best finish in total offense since 1997.
Kubiak was considered a candidate for the vacant head coaching jobs of the Chicago Bears and New York Jets earlier in January, but he released a statement telling reporters that he intended to stay with the Ravens:
“This is a special organization and we, like [head] coach [John] Harbaugh says, are building something great. I want to be a part of that and contribute in whatever ways I can.”
Fox left the Broncos a few hours after Kubiak released his statement, and a return to Denver was apparently too much for him to pass up.
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