As Josh Alper noted in today’s one-liners, the Broncos have told running backs coach Bobby Turner he can’t talk to the Redskins, who would like him to re-join Mike Shanahan in Washington.
The Denver Post has reported that in addition to Turner, Broncos strength and conditioning coach Rich Tuten, assistant strength coach Greg Saporta, special-teams assistant Keith Burns and director of football administration Mike Bluem all were longtime Shanahan associates who would likely be sought after by the Redskins. But if the Broncos won’t let Turner go, it stands to reason they wouldn’t let other team employees who are under contract leave, either.
The Broncos’ handling of Turner spotlights the way different teams handle requests to interview their assistants differently.
The Houston Texans, for instance, were willing to allow offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan to join his father’s staff in Washington. But when the Texans wanted to interview Titans offensive line coach Mike Munchak to fill Kyle Shanahan’s place, the Titans said no.
When Rod Marinelli left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to become head coach of the Detroit Lions, he wanted to bring his son-in-law, Bucs linebackers coach Joe Barry, with him as Lions defensive coordinator. But the Bucs made Barry honor the final year of his contract.
In Denver, it appears that the Broncos will make their assistants honor their contracts, rather than letting Shanahan raid their staff.