October 13th 2024.
In 2022, when Broncos owner Greg Penner made the decision to fire Nathaniel Hackett, there was no sympathy for the clown. After a dismal 15-game performance marked by undisciplined players and sideline fights, Penner knew it was time to remove the floppy shoes and red nose from the coaching office. He emphasized the need for a strong leader with a winning mindset and a focus on culture. The Broncos needed a coach who could instill accountability, discipline, and an offensive identity. But above all, it was crucial to establish a strong culture and leadership from the start.
Penner's criteria sounded like they were taken straight from Jim Harbaugh's resume. As the Broncos gear up to face Harbaugh's Chargers this Sunday, it's worth revisiting the debate. Who really has it better? The Broncos, who took the winding road from Hackett's Sesame Street to Sean Payton's Compete Street? Or the Chargers, who were lucky enough to have Harbaugh as their coach?
The answer is yes, but it's not a simple one. It requires some hypothetical speculation and a belief that Harbaugh, while undoubtedly successful, would have remained too loyal to Russell Wilson. Both Payton and Harbaugh were top contenders for the Broncos' coaching vacancy back in 2023. Harbaugh was the first outside candidate interviewed by Penner and the search committee. With a successful track record at San Diego, Stanford, San Francisco, and Michigan, he checked all the boxes and was the top target for the Broncos.
The initial discussion with Harbaugh took place virtually, but the next seven candidates met in person. Then things took a turn for the strange. A week after their Zoom meeting, Harbaugh was believed to be out of the running after the president of Michigan, Santa Ono, tweeted that Harbaugh had told him he was staying in Ann Arbor. But just a week later, Penner circled back to meet with Harbaugh in person. Sources say there was no official offer, but the feeling was that the job was his if he wanted it. However, in the end, Harbaugh chose to stay at Michigan, a decision that proved to be wise as he went on to have a perfect 15-0 season and win a national championship.
Meanwhile, the Broncos turned their attention to DeMeco Ryans, but when it became clear that he was likely headed to Houston, they shifted their focus to Payton. The former Saints coach had many of the same qualities as Harbaugh, with nine playoff appearances in 15 seasons, including a Super Bowl win in 2009.
As Payton prepares for Sunday's game, he has a record of 12-11 as the Broncos' head coach. In his first season, he impressed Penner with his willingness to push players hard in practice and make tough decisions, such as moving on from unhappy and underperforming veterans like Randy Gregory and Frank Clark. This created a standard that seems to have taken even stronger root this season. And let's not forget that Payton benched and eventually cut Wilson, a decision that Penner fully supported, even if it meant eating $85 million in dead money to move forward with Payton's chosen quarterback, Bo Nix, in the draft.
Nix will ultimately be the defining factor in Payton's legacy with the Broncos. And with the quarterback showing improvement, protecting the ball, and avoiding sacks, it's evident that the Broncos are in a better position with Payton at the helm. Simply put, if Nix continues to excel, the Broncos are set.
Harbaugh, on the other hand, has a history of not sticking around for the long term, often clashing with management. While he may have worked in Denver, it's doubtful that he would have fit in with what the franchise needed at the time. Harbaugh would have been more focused on fixing Wilson than Payton was. We saw how he revived Alex Smith in San Francisco, and he has a unique ability to connect with his quarterbacks on a deeper level.
So let's imagine that Wilson puts up similar numbers under Harbaugh's guidance, but they are seen as a sign of progress because Harbaugh appreciates the unorthodox approach of offensive coordinator Greg Roman's scheme. In this scenario, Harbaugh would have stuck with Wilson in 2024, and the Broncos would not have drafted fellow Michigan man J.J. McCarthy due to the high cost of trading up. While the Broncos would have ended their seven-year playoff drought and made it to the postseason, it would have come at a price. This success would have led to a long-term commitment to Wilson, who would have been aging in "dog years" by 2025. Similar to the situation with Aaron Rodgers and Nathaniel Hackett potentially joining forces in Denver, the Harbaugh-Wilson duo would have only delayed the inevitable. The Broncos have been in need of a hard reset with a first-round quarterback since 2017.
So the question remains, would you trade a single playoff berth for the chance to start over with Harbaugh in 2026? It's not a bad position to be in, but there's a concern that Harbaugh's unpredictable ways would come to the surface after a few seasons. In the end, Payton may not have been the Broncos' first choice, but looking at how this season has played out with Nix, it's clear that he was the right one.
Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis and stay updated on the team. When asked if he felt like he was competing with Harbaugh for the Broncos' job, Payton responded, "I didn't know who the other candidates were. I knew they were interviewing a bunch." It's clear that Payton holds Harbaugh in high regard, saying, "I was thinking about the other teams that I was visiting."
There's no doubt that having Harbaugh in Denver would have been entertaining, with his quirky personality and trademark khaki pants. But ultimately, Payton was the better fit for the Broncos. He may not have been their first choice, but as we've seen this season with Nix's development, he was the right one.
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