Broncos hire coaches for QBs, RBs
The Broncos on Thursday reached agreements with Mike Sullivan as their quarterbacks coach and Curtis Modkins as their running backs coach, an NFL source confirmed.
Sullivan, formerly the New York Giants’ offensive coordinator, had interviewed with Broncos head coach Vance Joseph earlier in the day.
In his second coaching stint with the Giants, Sullivan worked with quarterback Eli Manning for the last three seasons and has coached in the NFL for 16 years.
Sullivan started in Jacksonville as the Jaguars’ defensive quality control coordinator in 2002 and then was an offensive assistant in 2003. He joined the Giants in 2004 and coached their wide receivers for six seasons before becoming their quarterbacks coach for two years, helping them post victories in Super Bowls XLII and XLVI. After a two-year stint as Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator (2012-13) and a year as a consultant for the team, he returned to New York as a quarterbacks coach for a season and then coordinator for the last two.
The Giants fired Ben McAdoo in early December after a 2-10 start that included the benching of Manning. Steve Spagnuolo was promoted to interim head coach, but as the team began its search for a full-time replacement, it informed the assistants they could seek employment elsewhere.
Modkins, along with Raiders running backs coach Bernie Parmalee, interviewed with the Broncos on Wednesday for the job left open by Eric Studesville’s departure. Modkins has been an NFL running backs coach or offensive coordinator since 2008 and has worked with six teams, most recently the Chicago Bears as part of John Fox’s staff. The Bears parted with Fox after three seasons and a 5-11 finish in 2017.
Sullivan and Modkins are the second and third pieces to a new offensive staff under coordinator Bill Musgrave. The Broncos on Wednesday added Sean Kugler to coach the offensive line.
Studesville, who was one of six Broncos assistants to be fired Monday, is expected to interview for the Giants’ head coaching vacancy.