The fallout from the Broncos’ AFC Championship Game loss now includes a shootout.
Denver fired offensive line coach Joe Lombardi on Tuesday, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported.
Lombardi’s stay in Denver ends after three seasons and includes a disappointing conclusion. The Broncos mustered just seven points, failed to convert a crucial fourth down and ended up losing 181 yards in Sunday’s AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots, a contest played in a blizzard in the second half with quarterback Jarrett Stidham starting for the injured Bo Nix.
That result — plus an inconsistent offensive showing in 2025 in which Lombardi’s unit never found a rhythm that matched Denver’s stellar defense — prompted coach Sean Payton to part ways with his longtime lieutenant.
Tuesday’s news also comes as the Broncos are sending quarterback Davis Webb — who has been a hot name this recruiting cycle — interviewing for the Las Vegas Raiders head coaching position. As Rapoport reported on NFL Network, “things don’t happen in a vacuum.”
In three seasons, Lombardi led a steadily improving offense. Denver jumped from 26th in total offense in 2023 to 19th in 2024 and 10th in 2025.
Context matters, though: 2023 was the final season of the failed Russell Wilson experiment, 2024 was Nix’s rookie season, and 2025 represented a step into a promising future.
That won’t include Lombardi, who was shown the door by the same coach he’s worked under for 12 seasons (in New Orleans and Denver). Payton will aim to push his Broncos forward by finding a new offensive mind to replace Lombardi and work in tandem with the longtime player.