The NFL is experiencing one of the wildest coaching carousels it has seen in quite some time and with every vacancy that comes open, the possibility of Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph being hired for one of them increases.
Joseph looked like he would never be a head coach in the NFL again following his stint in that role with the Broncos from 2017-18. But he went to the Arizona Cardinals as their defensive coordinator and did a good job with that unit. Good enough that when Sean Payton was hired as the Broncos' new head coach ahead of the 2023 season, he added Joseph to his staff.
Joseph redeemed himself in a major way by turning the Broncos' defense into one of the best units in the league. Now, he is in line to be a head coach again. However, a return to the Cardinals to replace the recently fired Jonathan Gannon is not something the team's fanbase wants to see.
According to Grok on X, a collection of posts has suggested that Cardinals fans want almost any other candidate, including Mike McDaniel and Brian Flores, before they want to see Joseph back in the building.
"The Cardinals fired Jonathan Gannon on January 5 after three losing seasons, including nine straight defeats to end his tenure. Now, speculation about Vance Joseph— their former defensive coordinator who's revived Denver's top-ranked defense—has sparked fierce backlash from supporters. Fans polled on radio shows and social media overwhelmingly rejected him, pushing alternatives like Mike McDaniel, Brian Flores, and Klint Kubiak while the team interviews several candidates amid pressure for a big hire", wrote Grok.
Joseph went 11-21 in two seasons as the Broncos' head coach. His team often looked completely unprepared to play and he looked like a deer in the headlights during pretty much any postgame interview he ever had. He would not be an exciting hire, so it's understandable why Cardinals fans aren't thrilled with the idea.
I would take Mike McDaniel over Vance Joseph. Please Cardinals. Https://t.co/1WQPVFrAQ1
— 🌵 Mr. Az (@MrAzSports) January 11, 2026
If we hire Vance Joseph, I will officially be leaving Cardinals fandom altogether I will never watch a game again
— Rizzy (@JalenTooGreen) January 11, 2026
It would definitely be on brand, I suppose no amount of incompetence should surprise us at this point. Whether it’s hiring Vance or whatever else.
— Joanna Cards Fan (@cardsfanjoanna) January 11, 2026
They are going to have to show something here.
Some guys are only coordinators and as good as they are at it, that doesn't mean it will translate into being a good head coach. There are countless examples of this, and Joseph seems to fit into that category.
Whether or not he gets a job in this cycle remains to be seen, but if he doesn't, Broncos Country will be happy to keep him.
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