Denver Broncos hire former New Orleans Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi to run special teams

By Canadian Press on February 14, 2025.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have hired former New Orleans Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi as their new special teams coordinator.

Rizzi spent the last six seasons with the Saints, serving as special teams coordinator for both Broncos coach Sean Payton and Dennis Allen before taking over as interim head coach last season. He went 3-5 and interviewed for the full-time job that went instead to Kellen Moore, who was Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator during the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning season.

In Denver, Rizzi, 54, replaces Ben Kowtica, who was fired last month after the Broncos had big special teams blunders in a handful of games, including their loss at Buffalo in the playoffs.

Following a 17-year college coaching career, Rizzi joined the Miami Dolphins in 2009 as their assistant special teams coach. He served as the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator the next nine seasons before Payton hired him in New Orleans.

Rizzi inherits a solid special teams unit in Denver, where punt returner Marvin Mims Jr. led the league with a 15.7-yard return average last season and made his second straight Pro Bowl. Mims also was one of three Broncos (Patrick Surtain II and Quinn Meinerz) to earn AP first-team All-Pro honors last season.

Rizzi will resume working with kicker Wil Lutz, who was the Saints’ kicker before joining the Broncos in 2023 when Payton took over. The Broncos’ punter, Riley Dixon, had a solid season last year but is entering unrestricted free agency next month.

Kowtica’s two-year tenure in Denver was mostly successful save for a major breakdown at Kansas City in Week 10 when linebacker Leo Chenal plowed through offensive lineman Alex Forsyth to block Lutz’s 35-yard field goal as time expired, preserving the Chiefs’ 16-14 victory.

A 34-27 loss to the Chargers in December was aided by Tremon Smith running into punt returner Derius Davis as the first half expired. That led to the NFL’s first successful fair-catch kick in 48 years, one that sparked a 24-6 run by Los Angeles, which swept the Broncos for the first time since 2010.

Payton still has several openings to fill on his staff.

Pass-game coordinator John Morton and tight ends coach Declan Doyle left to become offensive coordintors elsewhere. Morton went to Detroit and Doyle to Chicago. Also, assistant special teams coach Chris Banjo, joined the Jets as their new special teams coordinator.

In addition to Kowtica, Payton fired inside linebackers coach Greg Manusky last month.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Arnie Stapleton, The Associated Press

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