Denver Broncos assistant head coach Mike Westhoff has stepped down due to issues with his vision.
Westhoff, 76, is a former special teams coordinator for the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints. He came out of retirement in 2023 to join head coach Sean Payton’s staff in Denver.
“It’s not easy to make this decision, but this was a wake-up call that I needed to put my health first,” Westhoff said in a statement provided by the Broncos to The Associated Press and other news organizations.
“This team is very much headed in the right direction with a strong foundation and winning culture. I’m grateful to Sean for giving me the opportunity to contribute to a first-class organization and wish the Broncos the very best.”
Westhoff began experiencing vision problems in the past couple of weeks and decided to resign after consulting with doctors this week.
“Over the last two, two-and-a-half weeks, he started having some blurriness in one of his eyes,” Payton said after practice on Wednesday.
“Of course, he didn’t say anything. He’s a tough, tough guy… So, after the game (on Sunday) he went through some scans, went through quite a bit of medical work, and he felt, along with the medical team, that it was in his best interests to step away.”
“There’s a stress level obviously that takes place that can take its toll, especially at his age,” Payton added.
Under Westhoff and special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, the Broncos (5-5) have had one of the best special teams units in the league since 2023. This season, they’ve had 21 punts land inside the 20-yard line, with four of them placed near the goal line.
“He’s done a tremendous job here,” Payton said. “So, we’ll miss him.”
Westhoff’s resignation comes after a difficult loss for the Broncos. They were defeated 16-14 by Kansas City on Sunday after a blocked field goal as time expired.
