Denver head coach Sean Payton is starting to put together his coaching staff, including interviews with potential defensive coordinator candidates.
The Broncos on Friday requested permission to speak with Pittsburgh linebackers coach Brian Flores and Seattle defensive assistant Sean Desai about the role, a source confirmed to The Post. NFL Network first reported the requests.
Flores was the Miami Dolphins head coach from 2019-21 and then spent 2022 on Mike Tomlin’s staff in Pittsburgh after being fired from the Dolphins job.
The interview with Denver is notable for several reasons, including the fact that a year ago, Flores filed a lawsuit against the NFL and all 32 teams claiming racial discrimination in hiring practices, but specifically mentioned what he claimed was a “sham” interview with Denver for its head coaching job before the Broncos ultimately hired Vic Fangio. Denver denied the allegation and two key figures Flores mentioned in the suit, Joe Ellis and John Elway, are no longer in formal front-office roles with the organization.
Desai, 39, spent the 2022 season as Seattle’s associate head coach and defensive assistant under head coach Pete Carroll and defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt.
Before that, Desai spent nine years with the Chicago Bears. That span included 2013-18 as a quality control coach, 2019-20 as the safeties coach and 2021 as defensive coordinator. Then head coach Matt Nagy was fired after the season and Desai made his way to the Pacific Northwest.
In Chicago, Desai learned from Vic Fangio, who was reported to be among Payton’s preferred defensive coordinator choices before Payton was hired in Denver. The Broncos, of course, just fired Fangio as their head coach a little more than a year ago. He recently agreed to become the defensive coordinator in Miami.
There is no official word on defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s status going forward, a source said.
Evero is under contract with the Broncos for 2023 but is still in the running for head coaching jobs in Indianapolis and Arizona. Denver could allow him to explore other coordinating options even if he doesn’t get a head coaching job and Payton wants to go in a different direction or if the sides mutually determine the best option is for Evero to get a fresh start elsewhere after his close friend, Nathaniel Hackett, was fired in December.
Evero would have substantial interest from teams around the league with open coordinator positions if he becomes available.
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