ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — When former Denver Broncos linebacker Todd Davis was a player, he never envisioned himself on the sidelines in a coaching role.
"I didn't think coaching was my path, to be honest," he told DenverBroncos.com last week.
However, after helping players prepare for the NFL Combine and coaching his son's little league team, his perspective began to change. He became curious about coaching and the opportunities it could provide.
A motivated Davis applied for the NFL Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship, and the Broncos selected him to join the coaching staff during 2024 Training Camp powered by Ford.
"Now I know that [coaching] is definitely part of my calling," he said of the experience. "[It's] definitely what I want to do. So, this internship should be a great springboard into that profession."
For Davis, returning to Denver for the fellowship felt like a homecoming. Davis spent the majority of his seven-year NFL career with the Broncos, playing for the team from 2014-19. His career in Denver was highlighted by a Super Bowl championship in 2015.
During this time, Davis had the opportunity to work under former Broncos head coach and current Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph. Beginning his NFL career in New Orleans, Davis also had the opportunity to briefly play for Head Coach Sean Payton. Davis says that these relationships, along with those he has with other members of the Broncos' organization, have allowed him to fully embrace this opportunity.
"I have relationships with Vance [Joseph], and I played for Sean my first year," Davis said. "… I'm here trying to do the best I can for them."
While working with his former coaches has been beneficial for Davis, so too has working with the defense that he once played in. Helping coach Denver's linebackers throughout training camp has felt like a full-circle moment for the former player.
"In this defense, I played in it," Davis said. "So, I have a lot of understanding for what they're asking the linebackers to do. Just being able to help the guys with what it feels like to be actually out there … I'm hoping I'm bringing that to the table."
Despite his familiarity with the defense, Davis said that operating in a coaching role has provided him with different perspective that he is confident will propel him to a successful career in this area. While he learned a lot from Joseph during his playing career, Davis has discovered that there is still much more to learn from the defensive coordinator.
"I feel like I'm learning a lot," he said. "I'm learning more about outside linebackers and safeties responsibilities and corners responsibilities. [I'm] just getting a more in-depth picture of what we're asking all the different guys to do."
Davis hopes that this experience will help him continue to work towards his ultimate goal of becoming a defensive coordinator in the league. As he looks forward to his next opportunity, he believes that returning to Denver was the ideal first step in what he hopes will be a long coaching career.
"It means a lot," Davis said. "The Broncos have done so much for me. … To be here now in this capacity, I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity."
