Broncos hire former Stanford coach David Shaw for front office job

Former Stanford coach David Shaw interviewed for the Broncos’ head coaching job in early 2023. He has now been hired by the team.

But not as a coach.

Mike Klis of 9News.com reports that general manager George Paton has hired Shaw “As a high-level executive director“.

It’s a surprising shift for Shaw, 51, who has more than 25 years as a coach at the NFL and college levels.

Shaw has a current connection to ownership via Broncos limited partner Condoleezza Rice. She was at Stanford during Shaw’s time there, and she is Help him complete the deal With some of his recruits

Renting raises obvious questions about where it could lead. Klis specifically noted that Paton hired Shaw, without mentioning head coach Sean Payton. Cleese himself also reported in early 2023 that Shaw was “sleeping“For appointment.

Could Shaw be Payton’s successor? Could Shaw provide a viable option as interim coach, if during a certain season the Broncos decide to make a change?

From Payton’s perspective, here’s another important question. Where will Shaw be during the matches? Football coaches have a natural (and understandable) sensitivity to people who might whisper criticism of owners’ coaching decisions during games. Shaw, if he’s with Rice or primary owner Greg Penner, could be in a position to do that, even if he’s simply answering questions from them and not actively trying to stir the pot.

Rice or Penner could also ask Shaw questions at any time about in-game coaching issues and the bigger picture.

So it will be important for Payton and Shaw, who were on the Eagles’ staff together in 1997, to be on the same page. Again, the fact that it was Patton – not Payton – who made the hiring will create fair speculation about what this all means, and where it could all lead.