The Broncos are putting the coaching search in Rice. Condoleezza, that is.
The Broncos have already axed head coach Nathaniel Hackett, the third coach to be given his walking papers in 2022. With its talent on the squad, Denver won't want to mess up its next coaching search, and has turned to a former high-ranking government official as a member of the committee.
Condoleezza Rice, the former Secretary of State during the George W. Bush administration (2005-09) has joined the committee for the search for the next head coach.
While that seems a bit out there, there's a good reason for it: Rice is a current minority owner of the Broncos, joining the ownership group following the sale of the franchise earlier in the year.
Condoleezza Rice will be part of the #broncos group that will be tasked with hiring the teams new head coach. Rob Walton, Carrie Walton-Penner and Greg Penner, along with Rice will lead the group.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) December 27, 2022
MORE: Why the Broncos fired Nathaniel Hackett
To that end, it's unclear just how involved Rice will be in the search, and if she'll be involved in the interview process. It won't be her first go of it: She was recently involved in helping Stanford find a head coach to replace David Shaw, who resigned in November. Stanford hired former Sacramento State head coach Troy Taylor to succeed Shaw.
"Condi has great experience actually doing football searches. She was just a part of the Stanford football head coach search," Broncos co-owner Greg Penner said.
MORE: Potential replacements for Nathaniel Hackett in Denver
Rice grew up a Browns fan and was even a rumored named attached to the Browns head coaching opening in 2018. She also was a member of the inaugural College Football Playoff selection committee, exiting the committee in 2016 after her term was up.
Whoever Rice and Co. tap to be the next head coach for the Broncos will have their hands full: The team has at an inflection point with quarterback Russell Wilson, and its standing as playoff contender is tenuous at best.
There's no word if seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, who also has an ownership stake, will also be involved in the search.
