BRETT RYPIEN

Jerry Rosburg retired in 2019 after spending four decades as an assistant coach at the high school, college and professional levels.

The Denver Broncos have fired first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett with two games left in the season. Owner and CEO Greg Penner said he'll lead the search for a new coach with assistance from GM George Paton, in whom he expressed confidence Monday while announcing Hackett's dismissal. Firing Hackett with two games left in a lost season allows Penner to begin his search for a replacement immediately.

Backup quarterback Brett Rypien overcame relentless pressure from a J.J. Watt-led Arizona defense, Justin Simmons had two interceptions and the Denver Broncos held off the Cardinals 24-15 on Sunday. The game featured two backup QBs, but Arizona lost Colt McCoy to a concussion early in the third quarter after he took a hit while diving for a first down. McCoy was intercepted once and his replacement, Trace McSorley, threw two more picks.

Russell Wilson has been cleared to return from a concussion, but the Broncos are holding out their starting QB for Sunday versus the Cardinals.

Here's everything you need for the Cardinals-Broncos game, from the point spread, moneyline, total Over/Under and insight from Warren Sharp.

Gambling expert Warren Sharp analyzes the odds and gives you his sharpest edges for key games in the Week 15 NFL slate.

Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson left the Broncos’ 34-28 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs after suffering a concussion at the end of a 14-yard scramble early in the fourth quarter.

Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett says Russell Wilson is set to start Denver’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium.

Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson has proclaimed himself “ready to roll” despite a lingering hamstring injury ahead of Denver’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium.

In a season that has gone sideways, Denver Broncos rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett is willing to bench just about anyone to shake things up. “I think we'll always look at everything,” Hackett said after the Broncos (2-5) wasted another dominant defensive performance in a 16-9 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday. With backup quarterback Brett Rypien filing in for an injured Russell Wilson, the Broncos again struggled to find the end zone, which they've done just eight times in seven games.

The New York Jets won their fourth game in a row, adding to the Denver Broncos' misery, but it come at the cost of likely losing Breece Hall for the year.

The Denver Broncos have ruled out quarterback Russell Wilson for Sunday's game against the surging New York Jets.

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson is out against the New York Jets in Week 7 after injuring his hamstring in Week 6 against the Chargers.

Josh Johnson might be looking for his 15th NFL team after the Denver Broncos waived the veteran backup quarterback Tuesday. Johnson, an 11th-year pro, started the first two preseason games and got the majority of snaps behind starter Russell Wilson this summer, but he was beaten out by fourth-year QB Brett Rypien. “It was a really close competition,” general manager George Paton said, adding that he hopes to sign Johnson to the Broncos' 16-man practice squad Wednesday.

Josh Allen needed just six plays to lead the Bills 70 yards for an opening-drive touchdown before taking a seat in his preseason debut, and Buffalo routed the Denver Broncos’ backups 42-15.

The Denver Broncos learned a painful lesson last year when they were forced to play a game without a quarterback. Coach Vic Fangio said Friday that he decided to make Rypien the team's “quarantined quarterback” this week. “He was not in the meetings, he was in virtual meetings, and when he was out here on the field, he was under strict orders to not be near anybody,” Fangio said.

The league is pressing forward with its goal of playing the Super Bowl as scheduled in Tampa on Feb. 7. What often seemed improbable during the COVID-10 pandemic has become quite achievable. "Contact tracing is the thing people are not talking the most about, but it is foundational to our success," said Sills. The league presses forward with its goal of playing all 256 scheduled games in 17 weeks and the Super Bowl in Tampa on Feb. 7. The trio works with the league’s three-member team consisting of a contact tracer, an epidemiologist and a physician.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Many viewers cringed at Denver’s ugly loss to the Saints behind a rookie receiver pressed into duty because every Broncos quarterback was barred by the NFL over coronavirus concerns. A three-year starter at Vanderbilt, Shurmur spent last season on the Chiefs’ practice squad. After Driskel’s positive test, a league investigation deemed Lock, Rypien and Bortles as high-risk close contacts and ordered them into quarantine Saturday. Hinton returned to catching passes, not throwing them, when he went back to the practice squad Wednesday. Miller has made it his goal to play this season after a freak ankle injury six days before the opener.

Denver Broncos quarterback Kendall Hinton (2) is hit after the throw by New Orleans Saints defensive end Marcus Davenport during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020, in Denver. The NFL denied Denver's request to push the Saints game back 48 hours, which would have allowed their QBs to return to action. So they turned to Hinton, a former quarterback in college, and sprinkled in some direct snaps to running backs Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay. Lock, Rypien and Bortles were removed from the reserve/COVID-19 list after testing negative Tuesday for a fifth consecutive day. Lock and Rypien return to the Broncos’ active roster, and Bortles returns to the practice squad.

On third-and-6 and the Jets leading by one, Quinnen Williams sacked Brett Rypien — but grabbed the quarterback’s helmet and prolonged the drive. Brian Poole then intercepted Rypien, making his first NFL start, on the Broncos’ next possession, giving the Jets the ball at Denver’s 44. Darnold gave the Jets their first lead of the season with a dazzling run that would make running back teammates Frank Gore and Le'Veon Bell proud. Darnold was able to come back early in the second quarter on the Jets' next series — and was promptly sacked again. The Jets took advantage — eventually.