ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have fired special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, who improved a middling team during his two years on Sean Payton’s staff only to see out his tenure marred by a breakdown in Week 10, it cost the team a vital victory in Kansas City.
Kotwica has been widely credited with transforming Denver’s special teams units into one of the best in the league since arriving in 2023. But what has dominated over the final two months of the 2024 season is the blocked basket as time expired that preserved the Chiefs’ 16-16 score. 14 against Denver at Arrowhead Stadium on November 10.
The Chiefs overloaded the left side of Denver’s special teams coverage unit after identifying a weakness in the Broncos’ protection and a wave of Kansas City defenders Bulldozing Alex Forsyth and linebacker Leo Chenal blocked Wil Lutz’s 35-yard attempt.
A day later, Payton insisted it wasn’t Forsyth’s fault, saying, “It’s all of us’ fault.” It’s up to us as coaches.
On Friday, Kotwica paid the price.
The Broncos (10-8) solved the protection problem by running down Forsyth and Matt Peart at the line. Yet that debacle hung over the Broncos until they beat backup Kansas City on the final weekend of the regular season to clinch the AFC’s final playoff spot and end their eight-year playoff drought.
After the Kansas City block, Lutz converted his next 41 attempts, including extra points, before missing a 50-yard field goal attempt in Denver loses 31-7 in playoffs to Buffalo.
KC’s breakdown aside, the Broncos had another solid season in the kicking game. They led the league with a 15.7-yard punt return average, punt returner Marvin Mims Jr. was one of five Broncos named All-Pro and Denver ranked seventh in the league with 33 punts pinned inside the 20 yard line.
Aside from Riley Dixon’s 15-yard throw to Mims on a perfectly executed fake punt, the special teams had a rough performance in the playoffs.
In addition to Lutz hitting his 50-yard try up the left post late in the first half, the Broncos gave up 59 yards on a pair of Ty Johnson punt returns.
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