Vance Joseph facts for kids
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Joseph as the Denver Broncos' head coach in 2018
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| Denver Broncos | |||||
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| Position: | Defensive coordinator | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | September 20, 1972 Marrero, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 202 lb (92 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | Marrero (LA) Archbishop Shaw | ||||
| College: | Colorado | ||||
| Undrafted: | 1995 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| As coach: | |||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||
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| Head coaching record | |||||
| Regular season: | 11–21 (.344) | ||||
| Coaching stats at PFR | |||||
Vance Desmond Joseph (born September 20, 1972) is a well-known American football coach and former player. He is currently the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos in the National Football League (NFL).
Joseph played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes as a quarterback and running back. After college, he joined the New York Jets in 1995 as a cornerback. He also played for the Indianapolis Colts in 1996.
Before becoming a head coach, Joseph spent 12 years as a defensive coach for several NFL teams. These included the San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals, and Miami Dolphins. In 2017, he became the head coach for the Denver Broncos. He held this role until the end of the 2018 season. After that, he was the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals from 2019 to 2022. In 2023, he returned to the Broncos as their defensive coordinator.
Contents
Playing Career: Vance Joseph's Early Days
High School Football Star
Vance Joseph was the starting quarterback for the Archbishop Shaw High School Eagles for three seasons. During his time, his team had an amazing record of 37 wins and only 6 losses. He even led his team to win Louisiana’s 4A state championship when he was a sophomore. As a senior, he was recognized as an All-America honorable mention by USA Today. He also helped his team reach the 4A state runner-up title. Besides football, Joseph was a starting guard on Archbishop Shaw's 1988–89 Class 4A state champion basketball team. He played basketball all four years of high school.
College Football Journey
Joseph attended the University of Colorado and played for the Colorado Buffaloes football team. He was a quarterback and running back from 1990 to 1994. He played in 30 games, often as a backup to star players like Darian Hagan and Kordell Stewart. During his college career, he completed 34 passes for 454 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 237 yards and one touchdown. Joseph was part of the 1990 National Championship team, which was a huge achievement.
In 1994, Joseph graduated from the Leeds School of Business with a degree in marketing.
Playing in the NFL
In 1995, the New York Jets signed Joseph as an undrafted free agent. He changed his position to defensive back. He played two seasons in the National Football League for the New York Jets and the Indianapolis Colts. During his NFL playing career, Joseph started six games and made two interceptions.
Coaching Career: From College to the NFL
College Coaching Experience
Vance Joseph started his coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Colorado Buffaloes in 1999. He stayed there until 2001. After a short time as the secondary coach for the Wyoming Cowboys in 2002, he returned to Colorado. He became the defensive backs coach for the Buffaloes in 2002 and 2003. In 2004, he coached defensive backs for the Bowling Green Falcons.
San Francisco 49ers: First NFL Coaching Job
On February 17, 2005, Joseph was hired by the San Francisco 49ers. He started as a secondary assistant coach. In 2006, he was promoted to secondary coach. He held this position until 2010.
Houston Texans: Building a Strong Defense
Joseph joined the coaching staff of the Houston Texans in 2011. He worked as the defensive backs coach under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. Joseph helped the Texans' defense become one of the best in the NFL. For three years, their defense was ranked in the top seven overall. His secondary unit helped the team allow very few passing yards. This strong defense helped the Texans win their first two division titles and make the playoffs in 2011 and 2012.
Cincinnati Bengals: Interception Leaders
In January 2014, Joseph was hired as the defensive backs coach for the Cincinnati Bengals. He helped the Bengals reach the playoffs two years in a row, in 2014 and 2015. Under his guidance, the Bengals' defensive backs made a league-best 41 interceptions during that time.
Miami Dolphins: Playoff Return
Joseph became the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins in 2016. He worked under head coach Adam Gase. Joseph's defense played a big part in the Dolphins reaching the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons. Even with many injuries, his defense was strong. They ranked fourth in the NFL on third downs and forced many negative plays for opposing teams. The Dolphins won nine of their last 11 games in 2016, with Joseph's defense creating many turnovers.
Denver Broncos: Head Coach Role
On January 11, 2017, Vance Joseph was hired as the head coach for the Denver Broncos. He signed a four-year contract. He was the second African American head coach in Broncos history. He was also their first permanent African-American head coach.
On September 11, 2017, Joseph won his first game as head coach. It was a 24–21 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football.
In his first season (2017), Joseph's team finished with 5 wins and 11 losses. In his second season (2018), they improved slightly to 6 wins and 10 losses. These were the first back-to-back losing seasons for the Broncos since 1971 and 1972. Because of this, Joseph was fired by the team on December 31, 2018.
Arizona Cardinals: Defensive Coordinator Again
On January 11, 2019, Joseph was hired by the Arizona Cardinals as their defensive coordinator. He worked under head coach Kliff Kingsbury. On October 15, 2021, Kingsbury and other coaches tested positive for COVID-19. This meant Joseph and special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers stepped in as co-interim head coaches. They led the Cardinals to a 37–14 win against the Cleveland Browns on October 17, 2021.
Denver Broncos: Second Time Around
The Broncos re-hired Joseph as their defensive coordinator on February 25, 2023. He now works under head coach Sean Payton. Early in the 2023 NFL season, Joseph's defense faced a tough challenge. They allowed 70 points in a game against the Miami Dolphins. This was a very rare event in NFL history. Many fans and observers were upset, but Coach Payton said there would be no firings.
However, Joseph's defense later showed great improvement. Five weeks after the 70-point game, his defense allowed no touchdowns in a 24–9 victory over the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs.
In the 2024 season, Joseph's defense performed very well. They led the league in sacks, ranked third in points allowed, and were seventh in total defense. This strong performance helped the Broncos make their first playoff appearance since the 2015 season.
Head Coaching Record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Post season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| DEN | 2017 | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 4th in AFC West | – | – | – | – |
| DEN | 2018 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 3rd in AFC West | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 11 | 21 | 0 | .344 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |||
Personal Life: The Joseph Family
Vance Joseph comes from a family of football players and coaches. His older brother, Mickey Joseph, is also a coach and former quarterback. He is currently the head coach at Grambling State. Vance's younger brother, Sammy Joseph, played defensive back in both the NFL and the CFL. Vance Joseph has two children with his wife, Holly.
