Broncos assistant head coach Mike Westhoff, an instrumental figure in the team’s special teams success, is stepping down to monitor a potential health issue.
Westhoff had issues with his vision come up last week and had testing done on Monday before he decided to resign.
“It’s not easy to make this decision, but this was a wake-up call that I needed to put my health first,” Westhoff, 76, said in a statement provided by the team. “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, a former special teams coordinator for the Saints and Jets, came out of retirement to join head coach Sean Payton’s coaching staff in 2023. Under Westhoff and coordinator Ben Kotwica, the Broncos have had one of the best special teams units in the league.
Last season, Denver ranked first in punt return average (16.3), second in punt return average against (6.3), eighth in kickoff return average (24.9) and ninth in kickoff return average against (21.5).
Through 10 games in 2024, Denver is seventh in punt return average (12.3) and 12th in kick return average (28.1). The Broncos have had 21 punts land inside the 20-yard line, including four being placed at the goal line.
Westhoff first worked with Payton when he joined the Saints coaching staff in the middle of the 2017 season. In two seasons with New Orleans, Westhoff helped make the Saints No. 4 in the NFL in fewest punt return yards allowed (309) while posting the seventh-highest kickoff return average (23.5) and field goal percentage (89.4).
“He’s a fantastic teacher,” Payton said last season. “I’ve said it before, if there was a Hall of Fame of special teams coaches, it would start with him.”
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