ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Joe Lombardi, who is about to join the Broncos’ offensive staff, is the grandson of legendary Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi. How cool is that?
Even if this fact has circled through the football universe for decades now – with a strong indication coming from the surname – may the story and relationship never get old.
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Just as cool: Joe Lombardi was a tight end in the early 1990s down the road at the Air Force Academy where he played for another legendary coach, Fisher DeBerry. After serving four years of active duty in the Air Force, Lombardi embarked on a coaching career that is about to include a third stint with Broncos’ head coach Sean Payton.
When Payton was the New Orleans Saints’ head coach from 2006-2021, Lombardi was his offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach in a seven-year stint from 2007-2013, and then as quarterbacks coach from 2016-20.
Sources tell 9NEWS Payton is bringing Lombardi with him to Denver to help him lead the Broncos’ offense. Lombardi’s title is yet to be determined but it will be in a coordinator-type role.
Lombardi had two shots as a play-calling offensive coordinator, most recently with the Los Angeles Chargers the previous two years. He was also the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator in 2014-15.
Lombardi’s father is Vince Lombardi Jr. His grandfather, Vince Lombardi, led the Packers to five NFL championships in the 1960s including in what is now declared as Super Bowl I and II.
Widely considered the greatest coach in NFL history, Vince Lombardi died of cancer in September 1970, 9 months before Joe was born.
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