A 1974 Fairmont High School graduate has been interim head coach of the Denver Broncos for the remainder of the season.
The Broncos fired head coach Nathaniel Hackett 24 hours after a 51-14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Christmas Day.
Rosburg earned all-state honors at Fairmont under the guidance of Hall of Fame coach Tom Mahoney Sr. He earned all-American honors as a defensive back at North Dakota State University, where he graduated with his bachelor’s degree in 1978.
He started his coaching career at the high school level, coached at the college level at Northern Michigan, Western Michigan, Cincinnati, Minnesota, Boston College and Notre Dame.
Rosburg worked for the Browns from 2001-06 and Atlanta in 2007 as the Falcons’ special teams coordinator.
He joined the Baltimore Ravens in 2008 and helped lead the team to top five finishes in the league's special teams rankings in each of his final seven seasons. Rosburg was a member of Baltimore's staff during the 2012 season when the Ravens defeated San Francisco 34-31 in Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans.
Rosburg also served as associate head coach for the Ravens.
The 67-year-old Rosburg retired in March of 2019, but was coaxed into returning to the NFL on the Broncos’ sideline after Week 2 this season. Hackett hired Rosburg to help the first-year head coach with game operations and clock management.
The addition didn't make much of a difference. Denver’s offense couldn't develop consistency under Hackett, particularly with quarterback Russell Wilson playing at a low level.
“He’s definitely helped me quite a bit through so many different areas,” Hackett said Nov. 30 before the Broncos traveled to Baltimore. “I really appreciated him here and he brings it from that culture and that organization.”
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh recently told reporters: “Jerry may be my best friend in coaching. We go way back. I’ve learned so much with him and we’ve been through so many battles and so many good moments together. He’s a very smart man, smart football man.”
Denver, 4-11, is at Kansas City Sunday and closes out the season vs. the Los Angeles Chargers on either Jan. 7 or 8.