The Denver Broncos have named defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio as interim head coach while head coach John Fox recovers from heart surgery.
The team made the announcement Monday morning, following the Broncos bye week.
Del Rio was the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for nine years from 2003-11. He has a total of 17 years of NFL coaching experience. He is currently in his second season as the defensive coordinator of the Broncos.
On Saturday evening, the Denver Broncos announced that head coach John Fox will undergo aortic valve replacement surgery and will miss at least the next several weeks. Fox had met with specialists in Charlotte, N.C. to determine if he needed the procedure immediately. He was advised by doctors to seek medical attention of he felt any discomfort. Fox felt light-headed on a local golf course and was hospitalized, at which time the decision was made to go forward with the procedure.
Del Rio also worked with Fox and the Carolina Panthers in 2002. After that season, he was hired as head coach for the Jaguars, where he compiled a 69-73 record and led the team to playoff appearances in 2005 and 2007. The Jaguars went 12-4 in 2005, their second-best record all-time.
Peyton Manning and the Broncos will be facing the San Diego Chargers this coming Sunday. Del Rio will be responsible for managing a team that finds itself 7-1 and in 2nd place in the AFC west, behind the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs.
