Vance Joseph

Vance Desmond Joseph (born September 20, 1972) is the head coach of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). As a player, Joseph attended the University of Colorado as a quarterback and running back in the 1990s, and was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 1995, playing cornerback for them and then the Indianapolis Colts in 1996.

High school career
Joseph was the starting quarterback for three seasons for the Archbishop Shaw High School Eagles, who won the 1987 Louisiana High School Athletic Association Class AAAA (top classification) state championship and finished as AAAA state runner-up to Ruston High School in 1988. He also was a starting guard on Archbishop Shaw's 1988–89 Class AAAA state champion basketball team.

College career
Joseph attended the University of Colorado, and played for the Colorado Buffaloes football team as a quarterback and running back from 1990 to 1995. He finished his career completing 34-of-61 passes for 454 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. In addition, he had 237 rushing yards on 50 carries and a touchdown.

Professional career
Joseph was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 1995 and switched to the defensive back position. He played two seasons in the National Football League for the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts. During his NFL career, Joseph started six games and recorded two interceptions.

Coaching career
Joseph became a graduate assistant for the Colorado Buffaloes in 1999 and was there until 2001. After a brief stint as the secondary coach for Wyoming Cowboys in 2002, Joseph returned to Colorado to become the defensive backs coach in 2002 and 2003. He spent the 2004 season as the defensive backs coach for the Bowling Green Falcons.

On February 17, 2005, Joseph was hired by the San Francisco 49ers as a secondary assistant. In 2006, he was promoted to secondary coach, a position he shared with Johnnie Lynn until 2010, when Lynn resigned for personal reasons.

Joseph joined the coaching staff of the Houston Texans in 2011. He served as the defensive backs coach under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.

Joseph was hired as the defensive backs coach of the Cincinnati Bengals in January 2014.

Joseph was announced as the defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins for the 2016 season.

Joseph was hired as head coach for the Denver Broncos on January 11, 2017, after signing a four-year contract.

On September 11, 2017, on Monday Night Football, Joseph won his head coaching debut in the 24–21 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Personal life
Vance's older brother, Mickey Joseph, was a part-time starting quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 1990 and 1991.

Coaching tree
NFL head coaches under whom Joseph has served:
 * Mike Nolan, San Francisco 49ers, (2005-2008)
 * Mike Singletary, San Francisco 49ers, (2008-2010)
 * Gary Kubiak, Houston Texans, (2011-2013)
 * Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals, (2014-2015)
 * Adam Gase, Miami Dolphins, (2016)