Denver Broncos fire offensive coordinator Mike McCoy
As the season slips away, the Denver Broncos have fired offensive coordinator Mike McCoy.
The Denver Broncos lost their sixth straight game Sunday, 20-17 to the Cincinnati Bengals, and they’re now 3-7 as the last place team in the AFC West. A scapegoat has been found though, with offensive coordinator Mike McCoy being fired on Monday morning.
A report surfaced on Sunday morning suggesting some internal frustration with McCoy’s scheme and play calling. So the writing was on the wall, as the Broncos entered Week 11 24th in the league in scoring (18.3 points per game) and 18th in total offense (329.8 yards per game). So after scoring 17 points and 341 yards of offense with two turnovers against the Bengals, McCoy was as good as gone.
McCoy did not have much to work with in his return as Broncos’ offensive coordinator, with Brock Osweiler starting the last three games under center in place of Trevor Siemian. No level of creativity can overcome at best mediocre quarterback play on a consistent basis.
Quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave will take McCoy’s place.
First game for Denver’s new offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave will be Sunday at Oakland, against the team that let him go after last season.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 20, 2017
Musgrave spent the 2015-16 seasons as offensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders. He has mostly been a quarterbacks coach, with his longest stint as a coordinator coming with the Minnesota Vikings from 2011-2013.
The black mark on Mike McCoy is that Bill Musgrave is considered a better option
— Brad Berreman (@bradberreman24) November 20, 2017
Musgrave’s stint as offensive coordinator with the Vikings was also marked by low-level quarterback play, mostly from failed first-round pick Christian Ponder. He inherits the same thing now with the Broncos, and he’ll try to inject some life into a stagnant offense that has turned the ball over too much. At this point in the season, it’s hard to see a change making a big difference.
John Elway has misplayed Denver’s quarterback situation since Peyton Manning retired. A shoulder injury has set 2016 first-round pick Paxton Lynch back this year, but he couldn’t beat out Siemian and there’s no outwardly obvious reason he shouldn’t be playing over Osweiler right now.
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But Elway has job security, which is more than McCoy can say now and head coach Vance Joseph may not be long for his post.