Report: Latest Broncos “No. 1 choice” DeMeco Ryans turns down Denver

DeMeco Ryans will not be the 20th head coach of the Denver Broncos, according to Woody Paige of the Gazette.

Ryans was the team’s top candidate to take the head coaching position as of last week and is just the latest person to turn down the Broncos. Flirty Jim Harbaugh has gone back and forth but has ultimately said no to Denver. Meanwhile, things have gotten bizarre with Sean Payton and Dan Quinn has returned to Dallas.

DeMaco Ryans tells Broncos he is not interested. He was their third No. 1 choice.

— Woody Paige (@woodypaige) January 30, 2023

Ryans, 38, is a highly coveted defensive mind that led the NFC Title Game contestants San Francisco 49ers. Ryans has been the defensive coordinator after three years spent as the franchise’s inside linebackers coach, where he helped the team to a Super Bowl appearance. The former star linebacker joined the club’s staff in a quality control role a year after his playing days ended.

Those playing days were primarily spent with the Houston Texans, where he was drafted in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Alabama. Ryans is still the Texans leader in all-time tackles at 479.

Ryans is expected to become the head coach of those Texans, where his family is from. He’ll have the ability to build around the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft after two straight coaches were fired in Houston after a single season.

So now the Broncos will have to circle the wagons and maybe even hit reset on their coaching search. Who the next head coach in Denver will be is basically anyone’s guess at this point.

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