Joe Vitt enters his 45^th season in the NFL and fourth as senior defensive assistant for the Denver Broncos in 2026. He was hired by the club on March 25, 2023.

Beginning his coaching career in 1979 with the Baltimore Colts, Vitt has worked for nine NFL clubs prior to the Broncos. He has helped six franchises reach the postseason 15 times, including the Broncos and Saints, who have made the postseason on seven occasions with Vitt on staff.

Joe Vitt enters his 45^th season in the NFL and fourth as senior defensive assistant for the Denver Broncos in 2026. He was hired by the club on March 25, 2023.

Beginning his coaching career in 1979 with the Baltimore Colts, Vitt has worked for nine NFL clubs prior to the Broncos. He has helped six franchises reach the postseason 15 times, including the Broncos and Saints, who have made the postseason on seven occasions with Vitt on staff.

Since Vitt's arrival in 2023, the Broncos have developed into one of the most dominant defenses in the NFL, ranking first in sacks (173), tied for second in touchdowns allowed (2.10), fourth in points allowed (20.3 ppg) and ninth in rushing yards (108.2 ypg). The Broncos have also set a franchise record in sacks in back-to-back years with 63 in 2024 and 68 in 2025, becoming just the third team in NFL history to reach 60 sacks in consecutive seasons.

Denver's defense has also produced five different Associated Press All-Pro players in cornerback Pat Surtain II, defensive lineman Zach Allen, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, safety Talanoa Hufanga and safety Justin Simmons since Vitt's arrival. He has also overseen a defense that has produced four Pro Bowlers in Allen, Bonitto, Simmons and Surtain while Surtain was named 2024 AP Defensive Player of the Year.

Vitt helped the Broncos defense remain one of the top units in the NFL in 2025, ranking first in yards per play (4.46) and red zone defense (42.6), second in yards per game (278.2), rushing yards per game (91.1) and third down defense (33.8), third in points per game (18.3) and seventh in passing yards per game (187.2). Denver's defense was also among the top units in NFL history to get to the quarterback, recording a franchise record 68 sacks, tied for the fifth most in league history.

Denver's defense boasted three players who were named Associated Press All-Pros in 2025 with the help of Vitt, with Allen earning first team honors while Surtain and Hufanga were named to the second team. Additionally, Allen, Bonitto and Surtain were all named Pro Bowlers while Bonitto was named a finalist for AP Defensive Player of the Year.

With the help of Vitt, inside linebacker Alex Singleton totaled a team-high 135 tackles (54 solo), one sack (1 yd.), a career-high-tying four passes defensed and one forced fumble in 2025. Inside linebacker Justin Strnad also had a career season, racking up a career-best 4.5 sacks (30.0 yds.) while also totaling 52 tackles (21 solo), one interception (21 yds.) and three passes defensed.

With the assistance of Vitt's coaching, the Broncos produced their 16^th division title in team history and their first appearance in the AFC Championship game since the 2015 season.

Denver's defense saw drastic improvement during Vitt's second season with the club in 2024, ranking in the Top-10 in sacks (1^st—63), goal to go percentage (1st-56.7%), yards per play (2nd-4.9), points (3rd-18.3), rushing yards (3rd-96.4) and red zone percentage (3rd-46.9%). Additionally, the defense produced three AP All-Pro Players in Surtain, Allen and Bonitto, while both Surtain and Bonitto were named to the Pro Bowl.

Vitt also helped in the development of the inside linebacker group in 2024 after an injury to Singleton, with inside linebacker Cody Barton and Strnad taking key roles in the room. Barton finished the season with 104 tackles (52 solo) in 17 games (14 starts) while Strnad set a career-high with 69 tackles (46 solo) along with three sacks (8 yds.).

In his first season with Denver in 2023, Vitt helped a defense that produced two Pro Bowlers in Surtain and Simmons, while Simmons earned his fourth career AP second-team All-Pro honors. Vitt also assisted with the inside linebackers, where he helped coach Singleton to 175 defensive tackles, which set a franchise record for most tackles in a season since at least 1991 according to press box stats.

Vitt joined the Broncos after spending two seasons as senior defensive assistant/outside linebackers coach for the Jets from 2019-20. In his two seasons with the Jets, Vitt helped the defense rank second in the NFL in fewest yards per rush (3.7) and fourth in fewest rushing yards per game (99.5).

While on the Jets' staff, Vitt oversaw the development of linebackers Jordan Jenkins and Tarell Basham. Jenkins led the team with 8.0 sacks in 2019 and became 1-of-8 players in franchise history to tally 7.0 or more sacks in consecutive seasons. Basham, meanwhile, registered 5.5 sacks, one interception (1 yd.), seven passes defensed and three fumble recoveries in his two seasons under Vitt.

Prior to his time in New York, Vitt served as the senior director of football and player development for the Dolphins in 2018 after spending 11 years with the Saints (2006-16) as assistant head coach and linebackers coach under Head Coach Sean Payton. Vitt also served as the team's interim head coach in 2012 and guided the club to a 7-9 record.

In 11 seasons with the Saints, Vitt helped coach the team to 101 regular-season wins, which tied for seventh most in the league during that span. The team had five winning seasons, five playoff appearances and won one Super Bowl during Vitt's tenure.

Vitt helped six different Saints linebackers produced 90-tackle seasons (according to Radar360), including linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who did so from 2008-10 while twice earning Pro Bowl recognition (2009-10). Under Vitt's guidance from 2008-12, Vilma totaled 438 tackles (311 solo), eight sacks (75 yds.), six interceptions (56 yds., 1 TD), 21 passes defensed, six forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries.

Prior to New Orleans, Vitt returned to the Rams, where he previously coached from 1992-94, and worked as the team's assistant head coach and linebackers coach from 2004-05. Following a medical issue with Head Coach Mike Martz at the start of the 2005 season, Vitt stepped in and served as the club's interim head coach from Week 5 to the conclusion of the season.

Preceding his time in St. Louis, he served as linebackers coach for the Chiefs for four seasons (2000-03) after overseeing defensive backs for Green Bay in 1999. Vitt helped the Packers' defense rank fourth in the league in interceptions (26), which doubled their total from the previous year.

Vitt first worked with Payton in Philadelphia when they were members of the Eagles' coaching staff. Vitt worked as linebackers coach for four seasons from 1995-98.

During his four seasons in Philadelphia, Vitt helped the Eagles' defense rank Top-10 in the NFL in pass defense (178.7 ypg—1^st), fewest completions (1,047—3^rd), total yards per game (301.1—5^th), sacks (173—5^th) and passing touchdowns allowed (70—T-9^th).

In his first stint with the Rams, Vitt served as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach (1992-94) after spending 10 years with the Seahawks (1982-91). He performed multiple roles in his 10 years with the Seahawks, including safeties coach (1988-91), quality control/assistant linebackers coach (1983-87) and quality control coach/assistant strength and conditioning (1982).

Vitt got his start in coaching with the Baltimore Colts and worked as the team's strength and quality control coach from 1979-81.

Before embarking on a career in coaching, Vitt played linebacker for Towson State, where he was part of the school's 1974 undefeated team. In 1976, he helped Towson finish as the NCAA Division Ill runner-up in the program's eighth year of existence. The 1976 team was honored as a Team of Distinction by the school's Hall of Fame in 2009.

An avid supporter of the United States Military, Vitt was the 2012 and 2013 nominee for the NFL's Salute to Service Award while serving on the Saints coaching staff. A native of Blackwood, N.J., Vitt and his wife, Linda, have one son, Joe Jr., and one daughter, Jennifer.