The Denver Broncos’ rise to 9-2 might come with a downside. In a new NFL.com breakdown of the 2026 head-coach hiring cycle, Davis Webb is listed among 24 young coaches expected to draw serious interest, putting the 30-year-old Broncos assistant squarely on the league’s radar.
Webb is Denver’s offensive pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach, working closely with head coach Sean Payton and second-year quarterback Bo Nix. League insiders told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero they view Webb as a future head coach, and now that belief is reflected publicly in a high-profile national list.
Pelissero’s annual “young coaches to know” piece focuses on assistants under 45 with no previous NFL head-coaching experience who could realistically land interviews this cycle. Webb fits the template almost perfectly.
A quick snapshot of his rise:
Pelissero notes that those who know Webb believe it’s a matter of when, not if he becomes an NFL head coach. With the Broncos winning and Webb embedded in the development of a potential franchise quarterback, his name becomes even more attractive to owners searching for the next long-term leader.
For the Broncos, Webb’s rise is both a compliment and a looming challenge.
On the positive side, it validates the staff that Payton and the front office have assembled. Denver sits at 9-2, in first place in the AFC West, and has ripped off an extended winning streak behind a balanced offense and a resurgent defense.
Webb has become a key voice for Bo Nix, who is in his second NFL season and first full year as the unquestioned starter. In meeting rooms and on the sideline, Webb is the bridge between Payton’s system and the on-field execution, helping Nix handle protections, adjustments and late-game situations. Nix has already delivered multiple clutch drives during the streak, including a game-winning march against the Kansas City Chiefs.
If teams start requesting head-coach interviews with Webb in January, Denver faces a few real-world consequences:
For now, Webb remains locked in on Denver’s playoff push. But the moment the regular season ends, his name is likely to surface on interview lists, and the Broncos may have to prepare for the possibility that their rising offensive mind could be calling plays — and running a locker room — somewhere else in 2026.
