Broncos Assistant Coach Mike Westhoff Steps Down, Citing Serious Health Battle
Mike Westhoff, the Broncos’ assistant head coach and former special-teams coordinator, has stepped down due to a health issue that emerged last week. The 66-year-old, a cancer survivor, made the difficult decision to prioritize his health.
“It’s not easy to make this decision, but this was a wake-up call that I needed to put my health first,” Westhoff said, via NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero. “This team is very much headed in the right direction with a strong foundation and a winning culture. I’m grateful to Sean for giving me the opportunity to contribute to a first-class organization and wish the Broncos the very best.”
Westhoff, who has an extensive coaching career dating back to 1974, began his NFL tenure with the Miami Dolphins in 1986. After a successful stint with the Dolphins, he spent over a decade as the Jets special-teams coordinator. He retired in 2012 but returned to the NFL in 2017 to work alongside Broncos head coach Sean Payton with the Saints, before joining Denver in 2023.
While some may speculate that Westhoff’s resignation could be related to the Broncos’ recent loss to the Chiefs—particularly the blocked field goal that sealed the defeat—a source familiar with the situation clarified that Westhoff would have stepped down regardless of the game’s outcome. The Broncos’ special-teams unit remains under the direction of coordinator Ben Kotwica and assistant Chris Banjo.
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