Denver Broncos coach John Fox confirmed Wednesday that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is leaving to become the AFC West rival Oakland Raiders' head coach.
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"This is a great opportunity for him," Fox told The Denver Post at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. "It's happened pretty fast for him, and that's good. I'm excited for him and his family."
League sources told NFL Network's Michael Lombardi about Allen's hiring Tuesday night, but the Raiders have yet to officially announce it.
Allen's stay in Denver lasted only one season, and Fox could replace him with Jack Del Rio, another coach who quickly left his staff. Del Rio was Fox's defensive coordinator with the Carolina Panthers in 2002, then left to take the Jacksonville Jaguars head-coaching job he was fired from in November.
Del Rio, who went 69-73 in Jacksonville, is expected to receive serious consideration in Denver, league sources told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora, but Fox would only say to The Post that he isn't in a hurry to find a new defensive coordinator.
"I guess I'd like to have someone in place some time before next season, that's the deadline," Fox said with a laugh. "More than likely, we'll feel good about it when we make a move. But we'll do what we think would be the best fit, and we'll keep trying to make the kind of progress we want on that side of the ball."
