Vance Joseph has traveled an interesting football road to this point.
He's currently serving as the defensive coordinator for the same team (Denver Broncos) that dismissed him from his head coaching duties in 2018. He's excelling, so much that he may find head coaching opportunities elsewhere in the coming weeks.
Such opportunities prove to be pivotal moments in a coach's career. Joseph, however, isn't concerning himself with the possibility right now; he has too much work to accomplish for the top-seeded Broncos, who host the sixth-seeded Buffalo Bills on Saturday in the Divisional Round.
"It's been on the back burner," Joseph said on Wednesday, via the Denver Post. "For me, winning is a priority. What happens after that happens. I can't control that."
Joseph is understandably not giving the idea of a promotion with a new team much thought in part because he's already been there and done that. After a stellar performance as Dolphins DC in 2016, the Broncos eagerly hired him as head coach in 2017 to replace the coach they'd initially chosen over him, Gary Kubiak, in 2015. Joseph found a treacherous road in Denver, posting an 11-21 record in two seasons with the Broncos before they dismissed him and replaced him with veteran defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
With that experience in mind, Joseph didn't concern himself with preparing for interviews before meeting with five teams (Titans, Giants, Raiders, Ravens and Cardinals) over the last week. He knows the job he does with the Broncos will matter most.
"What you learn in the process is that the (preparation) is overrated," he said. "Most of all, you realize that winning helps. I've been focused the entire time on winning games for the Broncos."
So far, so good. Denver owns the league's second-ranked defense in yards allowed per game (278.2) and ranks third in points allowed per game (18.3). While the Broncos' offense has struggled to produce consistently, Denver has been able to count on its defense and the coordinator who directs it.
That success has prompted teams to come calling, and the interest likely won't die down anytime soon, especially if the Broncos make a deep playoff run to the Super Bowl. If they truly want Joseph, they'll have to wait.
"It's flattering, but it speaks to the entire program," he said. "Again, when teams want to hire a coach from a winning program, they want the recipe. It speaks to ownership here, it speaks to the coaches, it speaks to our players. It's everyone's reward, so to speak.
"Obviously, when teams are struggling and need a change, they look towards teams that are winning and how we flipped it here in the last three years. It's pretty special. So, that secret lies with us … they want that secret."
In the meantime, Joseph will continue executing the same process that got him to this point. After all, he and the Broncos have a playoff game to prepare to win.
