John Fox Hires Linebackers and Secondary Coaches to Broncos' Staff

Filed under: Broncos, AFC West

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- A day after hiring his defensive coordinator, Broncos coach John Fox turned to his Carolina coaching connections in bringing aboard Richard Smith as linebackers coach and Ron Milus as secondary coach.

With the addition Tuesday of Smith and Milus, along with Monday's hiring of New Orleans Saints' secondary coach Dennis Allen as the Broncos' defensive coordinator, the assembly of Fox's staff neared completion. Fox, hired to coach the Broncos on Jan. 13 after his contract was not renewed following his ninth season in Carolina, may still add several quality-control assistants but the basic staff framework is now in place.

Fox and most of his newly hired assistants were convening for the first time as a staff this week in Mobile, Ala., site of the Senior Bowl, one of the key college all-star games for the evaluation of NFL draft prospects. Vice president of football operations John Elway, general manager Brian Xanders and other members of the Broncos' personnel department also were in attendance.

The Broncos have the second overall pick in the NFL draft in April.

Smith and Milus are both veteran NFL assistants who worked with Fox the last two seasons while they were all in Carolina. Both have previous stints in Denver -- Smith as both the Broncos special teams coach and linebackers coach from 1993-96 and Milus as the secondary coach from 2000-2002.

Smith also spent time as defensive coordinator for Houston (2006-08) and Miami (2005). Milus also coached the secondary at Arizona (2003), the New York Giants (2004-2005) and St. Louis (2006-08).

Allen spent nine years in the NFL as an assistant before being hired as a coordinator for the first time. He has been in New Orleans for the past five years, including the last three coaching the secondary.

Under Allen, the Saints secondary this past season gave up a league-low 13 touchdown passes. During the 2009 Saints' season, the New Orleans secondary came up with 20 interceptions, returning five of them for touchdowns, en route to the team's first Super Bowl title.

 

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