John Pagano, who was fired as senior defensive assistant and outside linebackers coach of the Houston Texans on Jan. 18, has been hired as the new outside linebackers coach of the Denver Broncos, multiple media outlets reported Friday.
The Denver Post reported that Pagano interviewed with head coach Vic Fangio on Thursday at the Broncos’ facility.
Pagano, who has been a defensive coordinator with the Oakland Raiders (2017) and then-San Diego Chargers (2012-16), is replacing Brandon Staley, who was hired in January to become defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams.
Joining the Broncos’ staff brings Pagano, 52, back to his Colorado roots, where he was an all-state linebacker at Boulder Fairview while playing for his father Sam. John’s older brother Chuck, the former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, is now the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears.
Pagano has been an NFL assistant coach since 1996 with five organizations — also including stops with the New Orleans Saints (1996-97 as defensive assistant) and Colts (1998-2001 as defensive assistant) — before joining the Chargers in variety of roles beginning in 2002. With the Colts, he joined current Broncos head coach Vic Fangio on Jim Mora’s staff.
Staley, 37, coached outside linebackers in Chicago in 2017-18, then moved to Denver when then-Bears defensive coordinator Fangio was named head coach of the Broncos.
