Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton didn’t have to look far to find one of the latest additions to the team’s coaching staff. Payton has hired Colorado Buffaloes defensive coordinator Robert Livingston as the Broncos’ pass defense coordinator, who will also be the team’s defensive backs coach, replacing Jim Leonhard. Leonhard was hired earlier this month as the defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills. Livingston was a scout for the Cincinnati Bengals and then special teams assistant when current Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph was the Bengals’ defensive backs coach in 2014 and 2015. In total, Livingston was with the Bengals for 12 seasons before being hired by Deion Sanders in 2024 to lead Colorado’s defense. Colorado linebacker coach Chris Marve will replace Livingston as Sanders’ defensive coordinator. Leonhard was one of the two Broncos assistant coaches who joined Joe Brady’s staff with the Bills, just as Pete Carmichael was hired to be the Bills’ offensive coordinator. Payton also promoted Davis Webb to offensive coordinator earlier this offseason to replace Joe Lombardi, and Ronald Curry was hired as wide receivers coach to replace Keary Colbert. Doug Belk has been hired as the Broncos’ defensive backs assistant to replace Addison Lynch. Lombardi, Colbert, and Lynch were fired two days after the Broncos’ 10-7 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship. Payton said at the combine on Tuesday that he was nearly finished finalizing the hires for his staff.
Colorado’s defense improved from 121st in scoring defense in 2023, Sanders’ first season in Boulder, to 43rd in 2024, Livingston’s first with the Buffaloes. The 2025 defense regressed after the departure of several starters to the NFL, including Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and Shilo Sanders. The Broncos led the league in sacks this past season, for the second year in a row, and were the league’s No. 3 defense in scoring and No. 4 in the lowest QBR (48.6). However, the team’s 14 takeaways tied for 26th in the league, as the Broncos finished with a turnover margin of -3 on the season. Payton, since the Broncos won 11 games by one point in a 14-3 regular season, has made recoveries a priority of the offseason.We are about to complete our staff… I would say in a week.
Sean Payton
From my point of view, we win a lot of games by a point or less. I’m not naive enough to think those games couldn’t have gone the other way. And you could take two or three, but where’s the meat on the bone? The meat on the bone exists with our recoveries. That has to improve.
Sean Payton
