Broncos To Re-Hire Linebackers Coach Despite Off-Field Issue

The Denver Broncos are expected to re-hire outside linebackers coach Michael Wilhoite as a member of their staff, according to a report from Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk via a report from Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. 

It’s an unusual re-hire, to say the least. Wilhoite was fired by the Broncos last year in March after he was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault of a police officer, misdemeanor obstruction of a police officer and misdemeanor criminal mischief, according to Williams, who added that all charges were dismissed on June 8, 2026.

Wilhoite still faces a civil suit, however. The suit was filed by Denver police officer Jesus Galvan Chavez, who Wilhoite allegedly punched in the face at a drop-off traffic zone at Denver International Airport on Feb. 23, 2025, the writer noted. 

This isn’t the first time Wilhoite has been fired, either. He joined the Broncos staff in the same role back in 2023 after the Chargers fired him. 

What makes this move even more unusual is the issues the Broncos are currently facing with outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper, who is about to go through the legal process after a pair of recent arrests connected to a domestic violence incident. 

Cooper is also facing some upcoming court appearances that will likely draw national attention, and there’s been speculation that the Broncos will elect to move on from him depending on how his situation is resolved.  Right now, however, he's a legal limbo. 

Wilhoite did have a brief playing career. He was a small-college success story coming out of Washburn University, where he played six different positions, so versatility is one of his calling cards. Wilhoite then caught on with the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL after going undrafted in 2011, and from there he was able to make the San Francisco 49ers practice squad. 

He played from 2012-16 in San Francisco, mostly as a linebacker. Wilhoite appeared in 79 NFL games, 45 of them starts, and he earned a reputation as a reliable defender. He finished his career with the Seattle Seahawks in 2017. 

Wilhoite’s coaching career began well, starting with his stint with the New Orleans Saints as a special teams assistant in 2019, then a defensive assistant in 2020. He was part of a staff puge with the Chargers, and he had a notable shouting match with then-coach Brandon Staley in LA’s playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.