Broncos Designate RB J.K. Dobbins For Return From IR
The Broncos will be without their starting quarterback for Sunday’s AFC championship game. There is at least a slight chance their backfield will be at full strength for the contest, however. 
Running back J.K. Dobbins is having his practice window opened, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He adds there is a possibility at this point Dobbins could suit up against the Patriots this week. The likelihood of that taking place will be worth monitoring over the coming days.
A Lisfranc injury suffered in Week 10 threatened to end Dobbins’ 2025 season, his first in Denver. The six-year veteran had enjoyed a productive year up to that point, posting 772 rushing yards in 10 games. The chance of a return in time for the Super Bowl emerged following surgery, however, and that is certainly a possibility with the Broncos one win away from getting there.
Denver’s offense will be a question mark given the fact Bo Nix broke a bone in his right ankle during overtime of the team’s divisional round win. As a result, Jarrett Stidham will handle starting duties after spending each of the past three seasons as the Broncos’ backup (logging only a pair of starts over that span). Needless to say, a strong running game would be welcomed by Denver. A healthy Dobbins would go a long way in ensuring that were possible.
Since Dobbins went down, second-round rookie RJ Harvey has become a key figure on offense. Harvey has posted between 11 and 23 offensive touches each game without Dobbins available. A heavy workload can once again be expected against New England, particularly if Dobbins is not activated from injured reserve in time for the game.
Dobbins, 27, spent the 2024 season with the Chargers after his Ravens tenure came to an end. The Ohio State product is attached to a second straight one-year contract, an illustration of his struggles to stay healthy over the course of his career. A return to the lineup this week or (potentially) in time for the Super Bowl would see Dobbins add to his Broncos production, though, something which could help him boost his market value.
Davis Webb Garnering Interest For Second HC Interviews
Multiple teams are targeting Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb for second head coaching interviews, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Webb, 30, has conducted initial interviews with two teams – the Ravens and the Raiders – so Pelissero is indicating that both want to move forward with an in-person meeting. Since the Broncos are playing in next weekend’s conference championship round, those interviews will have to wait until the following week.
In the meantime, Webb will be focused on getting backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham ready for Denver’s matchup with the Patriots with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. Starter Bo Nix suffered a broken ankle at the end of Saturday’s win over the Bills, positioning Stidham to make the fifth start of his career and first in the playoffs. He will also be throwing his first non-preseason pass since 2024.
This seems like dangerous territory for the Broncos, but it also represents a huge opportunity for Webb to showcase his coaching prowess on a massive stage. A solid performance from Stidham a few days before Webb visits his prospective new teams could boost his chances of securing a top job. That would be a meteoric rise for a former journeyman quarterback who retired after the 2022 season and is only in his third year as a coach at any level.
Sean Payton hired Webb as Denver’s quarterbacks coach in 2023. His first year with Russell Wilson was a bust, but Webb coached Nix to a third-place finish in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2024. Nix did not, however, take a significant leap in his sophomore season.
But hiring Webb would be about more than just his work with quarterbacks. He added passing game coordinator to his title this season, expanding his work as a schemer, and he is also considered a strong leader within the Broncos’ organization. Going from coaching a single position to coaching the entire team would be quite a jump, but it might be worth the gamble. Webb will receive interest from more and more teams in the next year or two. If one with a current vacancy believes in his potential, they may strike now to lock him down for the long-term, if they are willing to weather a few bumps as he makes the adjustment to the role.
Chargers Request Interview Arthur Smith For OC Job; Davis Webb On Radar
The Chargers submitted an interview request for Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Smith, 43, has been in Pittsburgh for the last two years. The team has informed all of the assistant coaches on Mike Tomlin‘s staff that they are free to pursue opportunities elsewhere, leaving no obstacle between Smith and a lateral move to another offensive coordinator job.
The Chargers are the fourth team to express interest in hiring Smith in recent weeks. The Cardinals and the Titans have already interviewed Smith for their head coaching vacancies, and the Lions put in a request to interview him for their offensive coordinator gig.
Smith came up as an offensive assistant in Tennessee and took over as their offensive coordinator in 2019. He parlayed two successful seasons into a head coaching job with the Falcons, but his offenses in Atlanta and Pittsburgh never ranked higher than 15th in points or yards. Smith’s lack of consistent quarterback play is a mitigating factor, but he still got a high level of play out of Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee. Smith could not do much with Marcus Mariota or Desmond Ridder in Atlanta and struggled to find consistency with Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, and Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh. Justin Herbert would be the best quarterback with whom Smith has worked by far, but he will have to make his case for his ability to elevate the star quarterback and the Chargers offense in general.
The Chargers are also keeping Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb on their radar, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The fast-rising coach interviewed for the Ravens’ and Raiders’ head coaching jobs and could garner interest from other teams as a potential offensive coordinator.
Webb is facing a seemingly gargantuan task this week getting Jarrett Stidham ready for the AFC Championship Game against a Patriots defense that savaged C.J. Stroud in the divisional round. Even a semi-successful game from Stidham would speak volumes about Webb’s coaching ability and could raise his profile as a candidate for other jobs around the league.
Broncos To Bring Back QB Ben DiNucci
The Broncos will spend the coming week preparing to host the AFC championship game. They will do so knowing quarterback Bo Nix is unavailable the rest of the way. 
Nix broke a bone in his right ankle late in overtime last night. Surgery is required as a result, and a return to action will not be possible even if Denver advances to the Super Bowl. In need of depth under center, the team has elected to bring back a familiar face.
Ben DiNucci is being signed to the Broncos’ practice squad, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The 29-year-old himself has since confirmed the news. Denver will rely on Jarrett Stidham to handle starting duties next week, with Sam Ehlinger set to operate as his backup. DiNucci will give the team a well-traveled depth option on the taxi squad.
A seventh-round pick of the Cowboys in 2020, DiNucci has bounced around professional football since then. During this past offseason, he saw time with the Saints before being released shortly after the draft. When the Falcons needed healthy QB options for their preseason finale, DiNucci briefly joined them. He was then included among Atlanta’s roster cuts just before the start of the campaign.
During his career, DiNucci has logged only three regular season NFL appearances (and just one start). Those came during his rookie season in Dallas. For a period of one calendar year (May 2023-24), though, the James Madison product was in the Broncos’ organization. As a familiar signal-caller to head coach Sean Payton and Co, DiNucci will give the team a third-string option as it aims to compensate for Nix’s absence.
Broncos QB Bo Nix To Undergo Season-Ending Ankle Surgery
The Broncos pulled off an overtime win on Saturday to advance to the AFC title game. They will be without their quarterback for the remainder of the postseason, however. 
During his post-game press conference, head coach Sean Payton announced (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero) Bo Nix broke a bone in his ankle during Denver’s win over Buffalo. Surgery will be required as a result. Nix will not be able to return in time for next week’s contest or (if applicable) the Super Bowl.
Payton specified Nix’s injury occurred on the second-to-last play in overtime. It was during that sequence that a Tre’Davious White pass interference penalty set the Broncos up deep in Bills territory. Nix took a knee on the ensuing first down to help line up Wil Lutz‘s game-winning field goal. Denver is set to host the AFC championship game next week as a result of the win, but the team will now be forced to play that contest without its QB1 of the past two seasons.
Nix will undergo surgery on Tuesday. In the meantime, Denver will prepare for an unexpected quarterback situation in the wake of today’s stunning development. Per Payton, Jarrett Stidham will start next week while Sam Ehlinger will serve as the backup. Stidham logged a grand total of one snap during the 2025 season (a kneeldown in October). He will now be tasked with leading the Broncos’ offense as part of their bid to return to the Super Bowl.
Denver managed to win a back-and-forth affair during the team’s playoff debut. The Bills committed five turnovers but still managed to force overtime thanks to a last-minute field goal drive at the end of regulation. The Bronco’s offense was hot and cold throughout the day, but prior to Buffalo’s final fourth quarter possession Nix led an impressive go-ahead touchdown drive. The second-year passer was of course an important figure in Denver’s ability to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC and his absence will be a major storyline leading up to next week.
Coming out of college, Nix faced questions about his ceiling at the NFL level. The Auburn/Oregon product drew strong reviews early and often in the pre-draft process from Payton, however. Nix ultimately came off the board 12th overall in the 2024 draft, making him one of a record six quarterbacks taken in the first round of the event. Denver’s playoff drought came to an end last season, due in large part to Nix’s play as a full-time starter.
The 2025 campaign saw Nix, 25, produce similar numbers to his rookie season. Nevertheless, Denver managed to post a 14-3 record while enjoying strong defensive showings. Vance Joseph‘s unit did not deliver a strong performance (takeaways aside) today, but it will be heavily leaned on in the AFC title game. Stidham has been with the Broncos since Payton’s arrival in 2023, but he has made just two starts since then. His next will come at a critical time to say the least, with the Broncos seeking their first Super Bowl appearance since winning it 10 years ago.
The Patriots will host the Texans tomorrow in the AFC’s other divisional round matchup. The winner will be on the road no matter what, but either New England or Houston will spend next week preparing to face Stidham rather than Nix. This will create a highly unusual setup with the conference championship on the line.
Ex-Lions OC John Morton Joins Broncos Staff For Playoffs
Former Lions offensive coordinator John Morton has returned to the Broncos’ coaching staff in a consultant role for the postseason, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Morton, 56, was hired by Detroit last offseason to replace Ben Johnson. Lions head coach Dan Campbell took over offensive play-calling midseason, essentially spelling doom for Morton’s job security.
He was fired after the regular season concluded, which freed him up to return to Sean Payton‘s staff to help the No. 1-seeded Broncos chase a Super Bowl. Morton struggled to mount an air attack with Russell Wilson at the helm in 2023, but he coached Bo Nix to a third-place finish in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2024.
Nix did not take much of a second-year leap. His 2025 statistics are similar to his rookie campaign, as are Denver’s overall offensive results. Morton’s re-introduction to the unit is not going to suddenly turn them into The Greatest Show on Turf, but he could certainly assist in their weekly game-planning, especially against a tougher slate of opponents relative to their regular-season schedule.
Morton has yet to receive any interest from another team for a 2026 coaching job. The door may be open for him to return to a position on Payton’s staff next season. A credited role in the Broncos’ potential postseason success could also revitalize interest in Morton, who has a long history as a coach with plenty of connections around the league.
Cowboys Scheduling Second Interviews With Defensive Coordinator Candidates
Almost two weeks since they fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, the Cowboys are getting closer to hiring his replacement, Josina Anderson of The Exhibit reports. The Cowboys are setting up second interviews with the top contenders for the position.
Vikings pass game coordinator Daronte Jones will be in Dallas to meet team brass today, according to Todd Archer of ESPN. Former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has scheduled a Jan. 20 in-person visit with the Cowboys, per Anderson. While Eagles pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Christian Parker hasn’t booked an in-person sitdown yet, that’s expected to take place, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN relays.
Broncos assistant head coach and pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard was part of the Cowboys’ first round of interviews, but it’s unclear if they’ll meet with him in person. He’s ineligible for now, Archer notes. The Broncos would have to lose in the divisional round or AFC title game first. Otherwise, a Leonhard meeting would have to wait until the bye week before the Super Bowl.
Hiring Gannon, who’s on the market after winning just 15 of 51 games in Arizona, would continue the Cowboys’ recent trend of choosing ex-NFL head coaches to run their defense. Dating back to 2014, Rod Marinelli, Mike Nolan, Dan Quinn, Mike Zimmer and Eberflus have held the job for various periods.
Nolan, Zimmer and Eberflus lasted just one year apiece in Dallas. The Cowboys would surely prefer more stability in the post, whether they choose Gannon or one of the other candidates.
Gannon’s also in the running to join Quinn’s staff as the Commanders’ next defensive coordinator, while the Titans will interview him for their head coaching position on Sunday. If the 43-year-old ends up in Dallas or Washington, it would give him a second chance as an NFL defensive coordinator and a return to the NFC East. He led the Eagles’ defense from 2021-22, and the unit’s elite performance helped the team win the NFC in the second of those seasons. Gannon left for Arizona after a Super Bowl LVII loss to Kansas City.
Either Jones or Parker would be a first-time professional D-coordinator in Dallas, though the former was in charge of LSU’s defense in 2021. Jones has spent the past three seasons under Vikings DC Brian Flores, whose contract expired earlier this week. The Vikings aim to re-sign Flores, but if he departs (perhaps for a head coaching job), Jones has come up as a potential successor. Jones is also on the Jets’ radar, having already interviewed for their DC role.
Parker, 34, began his pro coaching career as a defensive quality control assistant with the Packers in 2019. He spent two seasons in Green Bay before coaching Denver’s defensive backs from 2021-23. Parker just wrapped up his second year on Vic Fangio‘s defensive staff with the Eagles, who ranked No. 1 against the pass during a Super Bowl-winning 2024 campaign. The eliminated Eagles didn’t enjoy the same success in 2025, but their pass defense still ranked eighth overall. It’s now possible they’ll lose Parker to a familiar foe.
Regardless of which candidate takes over as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator, owner Jerry Jones and head coach Brian Schottenheimer will expect far better results in 2026. The Cowboys’ offense was among the game’s best in 2025, but a poor defensive performance doomed the team to a 7-9-1 record. Eberflus’ group allowed the most points in the league and the third-most yards.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/16/26
Friday’s only minor transactions:
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: TE Caleb Lohner, WR Elijah Moore
With one early playoff game tomorrow to kick off the Divisional Round of the playoffs, the Broncos have announced their standard gameday practice squad elevations to match Buffalo’s. Moore will have a chance to make his Broncos debut tomorrow. He signed with Denver in early December after spending half the season with the team he’ll be playing against Saturday afternoon.
Wink Martindale, Jim Leonhard, DeMarcus Covington Among Jets’ DC Interviewees
The Jets’ defensive coordinator search has flown under the radar during a frenzied HC carousel, but it has taken shape Friday. The team announced eight candidates for the job.
In addition to interim DC Chris Harris, seven others received interviews. Don Martindale (Michigan), Jim Leonhard (Broncos), Ephraim Banda (Browns), Jim O’Neil (Lions), DeMarcus Covington (Packers), Daronte Jones (Vikings) and Mathieu Araujo (Dolphins) interviewed for the position.
Harris was reported as being likely to interview to keep the job, one he took on after the Steve Wilks firing, and Martindale came up as a candidate as well. The Jets submitted an interview request for Jones. Otherwise, their actions have been pretty quiet on this front.
Entering his rookie season as a head coach, Aaron Glenn tapped the experienced Wilks as his first defensive coordinator. The decision worked out so poorly that Glenn gave Wilks the ax in mid-December. Wilks lost his job the day after a 48-20 blowout loss to the Jaguars in Week 15.
The results didn’t necessarily improve in three games under Harris, who opened 2025 as the team’s defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator. With Harris taking over for Wilks, the Jets surrendered a combined 106 points in losses to the Saints, Patriots and Bills.
Although Buffalo rested most of its key offensive players in Week 18, its Mitchell Trubisky-quarterbacked offense still teed off on the Jets for 470 total yards and 35 points. The Jets didn’t pick off Trubisky in that game, clinching an interception-less season for their defense. They became the first team to achieve that ignominious feat. While Harris is at least receiving consideration for a promotion to the full-time job, it would be a surprise to see the Jets choose him over the rest of the field.
Nobody from this octet carries more experience than the 62-year-old Martindale, most recently a D-coordinator at Michigan over the past two seasons. He has been a DC in the NFL for three teams – the Broncos (2010), the Ravens (2018-21) and the Giants (2022-23). Martindale’s Giants tenure ended after a rift with then-head coach Brian Daboll. The two got into a fiery confrontation before parting ways.
O’Neil and Covington join Martindale as former D-coordinators in the NFL. A defensive assistant in Detroit since 2024, O’Neil handled DC duties in Cleveland from 2014-15 and in San Francisco in 2016. He’s also a former Jets coach, having worked in multiple roles under Rex Ryan from 2009-12. Covington was the Patriots’ DC in 2024 under one-and-done head coach Jerod Mayo. He’s now the Packers’ defensive line coach and run game coordinator.
An NFL safety from 2005-2014, Leonhard spent three seasons as a member of Ryan’s defense in New York. The 43-year-old started his coaching career with Wisconsin in 2016. He worked as the Badgers’ DC from 2017-22.
Leonhard is now in his second season with the Broncos, who hired him as a defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator last year. Sean Payton promoted Leonhard to assistant head coach this season.
With the top-seeded Broncos chasing a championship, Leonhard may be a few weeks away from earning a Super Bowl ring as a key part of their staff. He’s also on the Cowboys’ radar as they search for a new D-coordinator.
Banda and Jones are also in the mix for the Dallas job. Previously a college DC at Miami and Utah State, Banda has been the Browns’ safeties coach since 2023. He fulfilled his interview request with the Cowboys today, too, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.
Jones, LSU’s coordinator in 2021, has coached in the pros with the Dolphins, Bengals and Vikings since 2016. He started his second Vikings stint in 2022 and has worked as a defensive pass game coordinator under DC Brian Flores since 2023. Flores, whose contract has expired, could leave for another job as a head coach or an assistant. If that happens, the Vikings may promote Jones to replace Flores.
Araujo was on the Yale staff before then-Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel hired him as an assistant DBs coach in 2022. He spent the past two seasons as Miami’s cornerbacks coach, but Araujo’s future is uncertain in the wake of McDaniel’s firing. If the Jets don’t hire Araujo and the Dolphins’ next head coach doesn’t retain him, he’ll have to look elsewhere in 2026.
Along with failing to record an INT, the Jets finished the year a lowly 25th in total defense and 31st in scoring. Their next defensive coordinator will have his work cut out in improving the unit, especially after the Jets traded cornerstone lineman Quinnen Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner before the Nov. 4 deadline. The Jets received a haul of picks in those deals, though, and they’ll enter the offseason with a hefty amount of cap space. Between their draft capital and spending room, Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey will be in position to give the team’s next defensive coordinator more to work with in 2026.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
Vance Joseph ‘Strong Candidate’ For Cardinals’ HC Job?
With John Harbaugh appearing to be out of the mix, other dominoes should soon start to fall on the HC market. But the Cardinals were not viewed as a serious contender for the longtime Ravens leader’s services. Their search should not be affected much by the Giants’ expected hire.
Arizona has 13 other names in this race. One of them would be a familiar hire. Vance Joseph was the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator for four seasons under Kliff Kingsbury, and 9News’ Mike Klis notes the current Broncos DC is expected to become a strong candidate for the Cards’ top job. Joseph has a strong relationship with Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill, per Klis.
Joseph has gained steam during his third season back in Denver. The Cardinals initially hired Joseph after the Broncos fired him as their head coach, and Joseph coached the likes of Patrick Peterson, J.J. Watt and Zach Allen in Arizona. One of those seasons included a playoff berth (2021) despite Watt missing most of it and Peterson having defected to the Vikings in free agency. Joseph’s Arizona tenure produced two top-12 defenses (2020, ’21) but ended on a down note, with the Cards ranking 31st in 2022.
Joseph, 53, interviewed for the Cards’ HC job in 2023 but lost out to Jonathan Gannon. That led him back to Denver under Sean Payton, and the move has paid off for both sides. Denver enters the divisional round as the AFC’s No. 1 seed, and Joseph’s defense finished the regular season ranked third in points for a second straight year. Joseph has overseen Allen’s rise into a first-team All-Pro, after second-team honors came the interior D-lineman’s way in 2024, and Patrick Surtain‘s 2024 Defensive Player of the Year campaign looks good on the second-chance HC option’s resume.
Joseph has also interviewed for the Falcons, Ravens, Raiders, Giants and Titans’ HC jobs. The Cardinals would be making an interesting move by going defense-defense with their past two HC hires if they choose Joseph, but that scenario appears firmly in play. Joseph’s candidacy will partially be determined by how far the Broncos’ season extends. He will be free to interview in-person anywhere next week if the Bills eliminate the Broncos, but if Denver wins, he cannot conduct an in-person interview until the Super Bowl bye week.
Via PFR’s HC Search Tracker, here is how Arizona’s process stands as of Thursday afternoon:
- Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Patriots): Interview requested
- Matt Burke, defensive coordinator (Texans): Interview requested
- Jeff Hafley, defensive coordinator (Packers): Interviewed 1/14
- John Harbaugh, former head coach (Ravens): Contacted
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/10
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/10
- Mike LaFleur, offensive coordinator (Rams): To interview
- Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/13
- Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): To interview
- Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/9
- Robert Saleh, defensive coordinator (49ers): To interview
- Chris Shula, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interview requested
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): Interview requested
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/9