Denver Broncos In Damage Control Mode After Coach's Arrest

Denver Broncos coach Michael Wilhoite was arrested over the weekend, accused of assaulting a police officer, putting the team in an unexpected spotlight.

The NFL star now finds himself in hot water as the team scrambles to gather details about the incident. This comes after the Broncos had seemingly turned a corner, breaking a brutal 16-game losing streak to the Kansas City Chiefs in late 2023 and rebuilding their reputation.

Michael Wilhoite joined the Denver Broncos coaching staff under Sean Payton in 2023, but his future with the team may now be in jeopardy. 

The 38-year-old was taken into custody on Sunday and booked into the Denver downtown jail, with his first court appearance set for Monday morning. In response to the situation, a Broncos spokesperson released a statement saying:

"We are aware of a situation involving Michael Wilhoite that occurred Sunday and are in the process of gathering more information."

9NEWS reports that Wilhoite was arrested following an incident at the Denver International Airport, where he had just dropped someone off before the alleged altercation took place. The Broncos are reportedly waiting for more clarity as Wilhoite's legal process unfolds.

Before finding himself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, Wilhoite had a solid career on the field as a former NFL player. Wilhoite started off by coming out of Division II Washburn and made a name for himself after being signed by the San Francisco 49ers under Jim Harbaugh, per the NY Post.  

He spent five years with the 49ers before wrapping up his career with the Seattle Seahawks during their "Legion of Boom" era, playing six seasons in the NFL from 2012 to 2017. 

As a reliable linebacker, Wilhoite started 45 games and appeared in 79 throughout his career. His best season came in 2014 when he started all 16 games for the 49ers, recording a career-high 87 tackles.

Following his playing days, Wilhoite transitioned into coaching, landing a role with Sean Payton's New Orleans Saints in 2019 as a special teams assistant. 

By 2020, he had moved up to a defensive assistant position before joining the Los Angeles Chargers as a linebackers coach in 2021.

When Payton took over as head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2023, Wilhoite reunited with his former mentor, taking on the role of outside linebackers coach. However, his recent legal troubles may have cast doubt over his future with the franchise.

The Denver Broncos did not just break their 16-game losing streak against the Kansas City Chiefs, they made sure to rub it in. 

The Blast reported that after their surprising victory, the team sent a not-so-subtle message by blasting Taylor Swift's hit song "Shake It Off" through the stadium speakers. This was clearly a jab at Travis Kelce and the Chiefs' spotlight in the pop culture world.

The Broncos' decision to play Swift's song was met with thunderous applause from the home crowd, adding an extra layer of satisfaction to the long-awaited win. The trolling move quickly gained traction online, with fans celebrating the moment across social media.

Bleacher Report shared a 28-second clip of the scene, captioned, "Broncos played Taylor Swift after beating Chiefs," and the internet did not hold back. 

One X user joked, "Kelce had to work off the field hearing this," while another praised the Broncos' pettiness, saying, "Childish and I love it."

Fans flooded the comments with reactions, with one person writing, "Payton took his petty with him to Denver," referring to the head coach's well-known competitive edge. Another declared, "Give whoever is in charge of music a raise, my level of petty."

Even those tired of the Swift-NFL saga had to give the Broncos credit. "As annoying as all this Taylor / Chiefs / NFL news is becoming this was a well-played troll," one fan admitted.

And of course, one user could not resist referencing another Swift classic, writing, "Mf said 'NOW WE GOT BAD BLOOD.' They wild af for that."

What will be the Denver Broncos' decision after they gather the fact?