To ‘dump’ OC on new Broncos HC would be ‘foolish,’ says Stokley
Jan 7, 2019, 4:02 PM | Updated: Jan 8, 2019, 7:07 am
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that the Denver Broncos have blocked other teams, including the Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals, trying to hire away senior personnel adviser and former head coach Gary Kubiak.
The move aligns with the Broncos plans of keeping Kubiak employed with the club, but in what role is a cause for concern, said “Stokley and Zach” co-host Brandon Stokley on Monday.
“I’m not quite sure what the Broncos are doing with Gary Kubiak,” Stokley said.
Speculation of late is that Kubiak could make a return to the sidelines in a coaching role instead of his current front office gig.
During the team’s end of the season press conference early last week, general manager John Elway said he expected Kubiak to be back with the Broncos in 2019, acknowledging that it could be in his current role or on the “offensive side” of things.
“His name’s been floating out there, so yeah, there’s a possibility Gary will coach again,” Elway said.
Stokley said it seems as if Kubiak wants to get back into coaching, that the “front office thing probably just doesn’t do it for him.”
But forcing Kubiak on the next Broncos head coach, Stokley said, would be a “recipe for disaster.”
“The most important hire right outside the head coach, and maybe equal to the head coach, is offensive coordinator. So, to dump an offensive coordinator on a guy, to me, would be foolish,” Stokley said. “I just can’t see that happening. If it does happen, I would just be flabbergasted.”
Stokley’s co-host, Zach Bye, said that “desired” coaches will already have prominent positions on his staff already picked out and that he’ll want to stick with them because they are a “direct extension” of himself.
Stokley said that the only type of coach who would agree to take on Kubiak would be a “desperate” one.
“I don’t think it would turn out good. Right away you have a head coach that doesn’t feel empowered.,” Stokley said.
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7
