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Broncos interview Studesville, Fewell; Fox joins candidate list

The Denver Broncos interviewed interim coach Eric Studesville and New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell on Sunday as they search for a replacement for coach Josh McDaniels, who was fired Dec. 6.

The team also announced that outgoing Carolina Panthers coach John Fox is expected to interview Monday.

In a video posted on the team's official website, Studesville spoke in his office just before his interview.

"For four weeks, I had to deal with all the issues going on with being a head coach," he said. "Everything else to this point had been theoretical. What I would do if I was in that situation?

"The last four weeks give you a practical application of being able to actually go in and have to make decisions and decisions that affect the 61 people on our team and our coaching staff and, ultimately, the organization," he said.

"When I was named the interim head coach, we were already in the season. I was kinda taking over, and it was a matter of steering the ship the last four weeks. I think the difference now is this is my plan going forward, what I see myself being able to do, the staff being able to do and how we want to push our players to get back to the championship-winning that we've had around here."

Team president Joe Ellis began the Broncos' news conference Wednesday in which John Elway was introduced as vice president of football operations by praising Studesville, who was promoted from running backs coach upon McDaniels' dismissal.

"I know that Eric wishes that the results on the field for the four weeks in which he was the interim head coach were better," Ellis said. "But he brought a lot of positive energy and passion to the job every day. I know that everybody in the building -- employees, players and coaches -- really appreciated that. He deserves thanks from the organization for his efforts."

Fewell also was filmed by the team and had complimentary things to say about the Broncos' organization as he was interviewed on the way from the airport to meet with team personnel.

"This has always been a tough play to come and play. The fans are unbelievable," Fewell said. "You didn't want to come to Denver to play. It was that mentality ... the Denver way of how they did things. You would always ask questions, those guys were so successful. How did they do this? How did they practice on Friday? How did they conduct themsevlves when they went on trips? Everything seemed like it was geared toward winning.

"I see how they play and how they've prepared, and I want to be a part of something like that."

Elway tweeted Sunday that both interviews "went well today" and the team was looking forward to meeting Monday with Fox.

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Offensive coordinators Rick Dennison of the Houston Texans and Dirk Koetter of the Jacksonville Jaguars are scheduled to interview Tuesday.

The Broncos needed to ask permission from the Panthers to interview Fox because he still has a few weeks remaining on his contract, although owner Jerry Richardson has said Fox won't be back in Carolina.

The Panthers reached the playoffs three times in Fox's nine seasons as coach, including the Super Bowl in 2003, but they also suffered through a league-worst 2-14 campaign in 2010. Fox has a career record of 78-74, including 5-3 in the playoffs.

Fox is the highest-profile coach on what is developing into a long list of candidates for the Broncos, who lost out on former Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh when he agreed Friday to take the San Francisco 49ers' job.

The Broncos are in need of a massive makeover after the McDaniels misadventure, which included a series of bad personnel decisions that led to a 4-12 season, the worst in franchise history.

The major rebuilding project needed in Denver might be scaring away some coaching candidates.

A new coach must be able to work in the shadow of Elway, the enormously popular Hall of Famer who won two Super Bowl titles in the 1990s and already has said he's eager to watch the quarterbacks at practice and give them advice.

The new coach also must be willing and able to mold Tim Tebow into a pro-style passer.

Fewell was an interim coach for the Buffalo Bills in 2009, and Studesville went 1-3 as interim Broncos coach.

Koetter has experience as a college head coach, going 66-44 at Boise State (1998-00) and Arizona State (2001-06).

Dennison was a longtime Broncos assistant who has never been an NFL head coach.

Elway also said the team is considering calling former Giants coach Jim Fassel, who tutored Elway in college and in the pros.

"Jim is a possibility," Elway said. "I know him really well from him being my college coach and for two years here, and he definitely got some experience with the Giants. So he's been on the list. We've thrown his name around a little bit. So we haven't finalized anything on him."

Fassel went 58-53-1 from 1997 to 2003 in New York and led the Giants to the Super Bowl following the 2000 season, but they lost to the Baltimore Ravens.

Broncos general manager Brian Xanders said Friday on Sirius/XM Radio that San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams are among those the Broncos are targeting.

Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey canceled his Broncos interview that had been slated for Friday night in Atlanta, saying he wanted to focus on the playoffs, although he kept his scheduled interview Saturday with the Cleveland Browns.

Mularkey indicated he'd like to talk to the Broncos if the job is still open when the Falcons finish their season -- but that could be a while, as the Falcons are the top-seeded team in the NFC playoffs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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