In their words: Reaction to the Broncos hiring Vance Joseph

The Denver Broncos maybe Vance Joseph its 16th head coach in team history Wednesday, coming to an agreement with the veteran NFL defensive coach on a four-year deal.

Joseph, the Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator in 2016, had been interviewed by Denver for its head coach opening in 2015 and had been a candidate for defensive coordinator when the Broncos ultimately decided on hiring Gary Kubiak.

It’s also a return to Colorado for the former Buffaloes quarterback, who played for CU from 1990 to 1995, earning a national championship in his freshman year.

Here’s some of the former players, coaches, teammates, and others who spoke out about the Broncos hire Wednesday:

Dolphins head coach Adam Gase:

“He’s done a great job with our players. I can speak for that first hand. He took so much off my plate where I never had to worry about anything with the defense. He really did a great job with all those guys in that room. Once he was hired, I knew that side of the ball was good to go and I was able to focus on what I needed to with the offense. He has a strong personality and he demands a lot from players and they give him everything they have, which is a testament to his ability as a leader.”

Former Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak:

“Vance has been in preparation for this opportunity for many years. He is a leader of men who gets the most out his players. V.J. is demanding yet passionate in his relationship with them. He is a tremendous addition to the Bronco family. I am so proud of him. His future and the future of the Denver Broncos is very bright. I congratulate V.J. and it’s well deserved.”

Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh:

“I think I learned a lot from him, just in regards to how he views putting the defensive line and the back seven together, and the front seven and the back four together. I think he’s an excellent coach. They are getting an elite guy that understands defense and understands how things work together, and working with a lot of different pieces and puzzles. We probably had a new lineup every single week this past season, and he’s a guy that knows how to adjust and adapt.

“I think he’s going to be an excellent head coach, in my personal opinion. Obviously, he’s a great people person and he’s great at dealing with a lot of different personalities. I had a great relationship with him and look forward to continuing that relationship him. There is no question that those players are going to definitely be happy with the way that he runs things and with the way he likes things set up. I’ve gotten to see him in action at all levels over these past 12 months.”

Reverand Jesse Jackson Sr:

Congratulations to #VanceJoseph on being named by @johnelway as the new Head Coach of the @Broncos. pic.twitter.com/Jj2ed7plBO

— Rev Jesse Jackson Sr (@RevJJackson) January 12, 2017

Former Broncos defensive back Nick Ferguson:

#VanceJoseph might B known to some as a Dfnsv mind Rest assured tht he’s going to demand tht the Offns adopts aggressive mentality as well

— Nick Ferguson (@NickFerguson_25) January 11, 2017

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.