New York Giants have requested to interview Broncos assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi

According to ESPN’s lead NFL insider, the New York Giants have requested permission to interview Denver Broncos assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi for their vacant head coaching position. This is Rizzi’s first head coaching interview of this cycle, and he joins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Davis Webb as Broncos coaches to interview for head coaching jobs this offseason.

Broncos assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi has a history with New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen, as the two worked together in Miami from 2009 through 2016. Now that the Giants’ head coaching position is open, Schoen would like to speak with Rizzi about the job.

Back in 2024, Rizzi served as the New Orleans Saints interm head coach and ended up being a popular coach amongst the fans and players during his short stint there. He did interview for the job last season, but it ended up going to Kellen Moore instead. Rizzi would then reunite with Sean Payton in Denver to be his special teams coordinator with the Broncos.

It was a slow start for Rizzi with the Broncos as the special teams unit had some struggles. However, the unit continued to improve as the season went on and became a reliable strength of this team. Kicker Wil Lutz was mostly automatic this season, rookie punter Jeremy Crawshaw improved as the year went on, the coverage units were solid, and returner Marvin Mims Jr. was a weapon and had a punt return touchdown.

The Giants have a long list of head coaching candidates, which includes Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. While Rizzi has the connections to Schoen, I would be surprised if he ends up being the favorite for that job. However, time will tell, and we will find out more once teams start having their second round of interviews.

As I previously noted, Rizzi joins Vance Joseph and Davis Webb as Broncos coaches receiving head coaching interviews elsewhere during this coaching cycle. Joseph has/had interviews with the Ravens, Raiders, Giants, Titans, Cardinals, and Falcons so far, while Webb has interviewed with the Ravens and Raiders.

With the Broncos quick rise from laughing stock to Super Bowl contender, teams want a piece of Sean Payton’s coaching staff in hopes of having similar success moving forward.