ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Rick Dennison served 14 seasons as Mike Shanahan's disciple, and now he wants to be his replacement.
The Denver Broncos offensive coordinator met with team owner Pat Bowlen on Tuesday after expressing interest in the position following Shanahan's firing last week.
Later Tuesday, the Broncos also planned to speak with Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. Leslie Frazier, the defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, will interview Wednesday.
Garrett makes the rounds
Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has already interviewed with the Detroit Lions for their head coaching job, writes NFL Network's Adam Schefter. ** More ...**
The Broncos have already interviewed Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
Shanahan was fired last week after the Broncos missed the playoffs for the third straight season, done in by a series of personnel gaffes and a several bad drafts on defense.
Garrett was a hot commodity at this time a year ago, spurning offers from Atlanta and Baltimore to be head coach after Dallas agreed to make him the league's highest-paid assistant at $3 million.
Dennison, a linebacker for the Broncos from 1982-90, has been on Denver's staff since 1995, serving as special teams coach and then offensive line guru, before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2006.
Morris' interview Monday lasted more than four hours as he met with different personnel and toured the building. The 32-year-old earned a promotion from secondary coach to defensive coordinator in Tampa Bay after longtime assistant Monte Kiffin left for the University of Tennessee, where his son, Lane, is now coaching.
Shanahan is expected to take a year off before returning to coaching. He has three years and more than $20 million left on his contract, and sitting out next season would cost Bowlen close to $7 million.
Bowlen doesn't plan on giving his next coach the same kind of power he afforded Shanahan, preferring to split the head coach and general manager's jobs. He said that he'll focus on finding a GM once he hires a coach.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
