Broncos have fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi
The Denver Broncos announced that they have fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, wide receivers coach Keary Colbert, and cornerbacks coach Addison Lynch.
We've parted ways with three assistant coaches.
- Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 28, 2026
https://t.co/M44rGO5yfTpic.twitter.com/4yO6Ep4alk
Sean Payton and the Broncos released a statement thanking all three coaches for their contributions to the team and wished them all the best in the future.
I want to thank these coaches for playing an important role in elevating our program over the last three seasons," Payton said. I've been fortunate to work with Joe Lombardi for 15 years and am particularly grateful for his many contributions to our success as offensive coordinator.
We sincerely appreciate Joe, Keary and Addison's hard work and wish them all the best in the future."
This comes as a bit of a surprise, as Lombardi has been one of Sean Payton's most trusted coaches in recent seasons. Could this mean that the Broncos are making a play to keep offensive pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Davis Webb? He is a favorite for the Las Vegas Raiders head coaching job, so it'll be interesting to see how that plays out.
Lombardi served as the Broncos' offensive coordinator since the team hired Sean Payton back in 2023 and had previous experience with Payton during his time with the Saints. However, the Broncos' struggles on offense, which Payton talked about today, may have contributed to this firing.
Earlier today, during the end of the year press conference, Payton was asked about the struggling run game and told reporters that improving in that area is one of the key things we have to do this offseason".
Great question. I stepped into [Offensive Run Game Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach] Zach [Strief]'s office yesterday. I said look... There's probably a series of answers to that. That what we're doing... I feel like we're far enough along with the RPOs and some of that but when we want to run it under center and control a game, we've been able to do it a few times, but not as much as I'd like. That'll be an important study and with urgency, and then also with the runners, who are we asking... Losing [RB] J.K. [Dobbins], obviously, that was a tough loss. He brought a lot to the locker, more than you would know. But that'll be one of the points of emphasis that I think that we research and look into heavily. I want to play from the gun, but I also will always want to play with a two-back or multiple tight end mindset [and] have that flexibility. It's a good question. I think it's one of the key things that we have to do this offseason."
Then he was asked about the drops that plagued the Broncos' offense late this season and throughout the playoffs. He talked about how he likes his wide receiver room and how it has everything he wants at the position, but that there is a proper way to catch a football. He added they have to be better at teaching that this offseason.
Look, we drafted to it, and I like who we've drafted to it. Yes, there were too many [drops] even down the stretch. The thing with the draft, man, we've invested, and I like the players in that room. We've got different... We have speed, we have size, we have all the things I'm used to [and] you'd want to have in a good offense. But I think that there's a proper way to catch a football, and most of the time, it's with your thumbs together, not the other way around. The other way around, I'm serious, only exists when the ball is below your belly button. Even the deep balls should be caught with your thumbs together. So we have to be better at that."
Now, did I anticipate that this would lead to Lombardi's firing? I did not, but it is interesting to see what changes Payton makes to his coaching staff.
Pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Davis Webb would be the logical in-house replacement, but he is in the running to be the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Regardless, the Broncos will have to interview at least two minority candidates to fulfill the Rooney Rule, so we will have to see which direction Payton and the team decides to go.