​After a second consecutive cycle of going through head coach interviews only to not land a head coach job, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph will remain with the club in 2026.Broncos head coach Sean Payton enjoys seeing his assistant coaches land promotions elsewhere, but for the upcoming campaign, he’s glad to have Joseph sticking around.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“I’m thrilled he’s back, selfishly, and yet there’s that part of me with what he was able to do and how that benefited our team, I’m quite sure he’s going to have another shot at this thing,” Payton said in June. “I’ll do anything and everything I can to help him. He’s been fantastic to work with. His command of the room with the players on defense and what they’re doing is super impressive.”Joseph’s unit led the NFL in sacks in each of the last two seasons, and Denver ranked third in points allowed in 2024 and 2025. Joseph has the Broncos’ defense playing at an extremely high level, but a head coach job has not yet materialized.“It was a process,” Joseph said of being interviewed for openings in each of the last two offseasons. “Obviously, I didn’t get a job last year, and that’s OK. My focus now is to get back in position, and that’s winning games for the Broncos and being a great defense again. It’s a process that is different every single year.”I can’t be concerned about the outcomes, [I can] just keep pushing forward, winning games and being in position to interview. That’s an honor by itself. So I am not discouraged. My focus is the Broncos’ defense right now. I do want to be a head coach, but there are seasons for that. Right now, my focus is strictly on our defense being better this year.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDenver went 14-3 last season and reached the AFC Championship game before bowing out of the playoffs after losing their starting quarterback to an injury. If the team keeps winning, and if the defense keeps playing at this level, Joseph will likely interview for more openings in 2027. For now, defenders are glad to have him back for another title push.“It’s huge,” defensive end Zach Allen said of Joseph returning. “Continuity in this league is rare, and the fact that we’ve got it is huge. We really hit the ground running. It’s crazy that it’s only really been six practices [in June] and how much we’ve already put in and got accomplished. It’s really exciting, and [I’m] definitely excited to take it into minicamp [in June] and then into [training] camp.”Allen and his veteran teammates will report for training camp on July 28 ahead of the start of practices on July 31. If the Broncos are going to be a Super Bowl contender this fall, Joseph’s defense will be a key factor.Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: ‘Selfishly,’ Broncos are thrilled Vance Joseph didn’t la