The Denver Broncos have become a surging team and are among the top teams in the AFC, primarily due to their stingy defense and streaky yet efficient offense. The staff of Sean Payton has proven to be an excellent place to develop future assistants, and other franchises have already begun to steal their talent. It is against that background that one name is quietly rising to the top of the list of shortlisted candidates to interview with the head coach.
Davis Webb is suddenly a must-watch coaching heat. NFL Network insiderTom Pelissero put the Broncos’ offensive pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach on a 24-name list of young HC candidates, and he didn’t hedge. Webb’s rise, under Payton’s wing, has been blistering. The 30-year-old has gotten play-calling looks, meaningful responsibilities, and now league eyes.
Davis Webb’s Rapid Rise Puts Denver’s Coaching Pipeline in the Spotlight
Denver’s coaching pipeline heats up as Davis Webb enters the 2026 head coach conversation, sparking buzz about the Broncos’ future leadership.
Sep 21, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Florida Gators running back Treyaun Webb (5) runs the ball against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the second quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images
Webb’s transition from a 2017 third-round pick to a fast-rising coach who joined Payton’s staff in 2023 and earned a promotion. The 30-year-old has been handed real tasks, not token titles. Payton let Webb call plays in a preseason game where Denver’s backups erupted for 24 first-half points. That audition, the internal confidence, and Webb’s QB-first background are why scouts and GMs now whisper his name.
Those who know the hire market say it’s often about trust and runway. Webb brings both. He’s coached Denver’s young signal-caller closely and helped shape passing concepts as pass game coordinator. With the Broncos 9–2 through mid-November, teams looking to reboot in 2026 will want someone like Webb’s resume.
“*A third-round pick by the Giants in the 2017 NFL Draft, Webb spent parts of six seasons as an NFL QB. But he always planned for a future in coaching. He’s been on the fast track since Sean Payton hired him as quarterbacks coach in 2023 and was promoted this year. Payton even let Webb call plays in the second preseason game, one in which a group of mostly second-stringers put up 24 points in the first half against Arizona. Those who know Webb believe it’s a matter of when, not if, he becomes an NFL head coach. Even with Denver’s offense up and down, the Broncos are 9-2, and Webb’s first look could come this January.*” stated Tom Pelissero, NFL.com.
The Broncos already lost assistants last offseason, and Pelissero listed other Denver names to watch (Lou Ayeni, Jim Leonhard, Zach Strief). If a club wants a young offensive architect who’s been vetted by Sean Payton, Davis Webb is now a logical, headline-making option. Expect interviews, possibly as soon as the January window opens, and plan for the possibility that Denver’s coaching core reshuffles yet again.