Gary Kubiak says demands of coaching 'no longer a good fit' for him

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Gary Kubiak told his players Sunday night he would be stepping down as Denver Broncos head coach, and now it’s official.

Kubiak is retiring from coaching, he said Monday morning.

“This is an extremely difficult decision to step down as head coach. I love to work and I love football, but ultimately the demands of the job are no longer a good fit for me,” Kubiak said in a statement.

Kubiak, in an emotional news conference at team headquarters, said he’s not ill, but the grueling coaching lifestyle has just taken too much of a toll on him physically and emotionally. He spent most of this season trying make changes to his routine, especially after he was briefly hospitalized after a game in early October and forced to take a week off.

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But he discovered he couldn’t change his habits. As a coach, he was wired one way, and he just couldn’t do it anymore.

“I’ve always taken a lot of pride that I could coach the football team, be there for the players, be there for the coaches, be there for the organization, put a game plan, call the game on Sunday,” Kubiak said. “This year I haven’t been able to do that. It’s been tough. For the first time, I’ve had to tell myself, you can’t do that no more.”

Kubiak wasn’t sure yet of his future plans, beyond going home to spend more time with his wife Rhonda. Though he described his move as “stepping down” to his players on Sunday night, he was clear Monday that he doesn’t plan on a return to coaching.

“I’ll find something,” Kubiak said. “I’ll find another passion. There’s a lot of things to do in life.”

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Kubiak first approached general manager John Elway over Christmas weekend, while the team was in Kansas City, to tell his boss that he was thinking about resigning. Elway said he realized quickly he needed to speak with Kubiak as a friend, not as a boss. The two have a long history together, from nine years together as players in Denver, to Kubiak’s stint as Elway’s offensive coordinator, to their two years running the Broncos together. As a tandem, they won three Super Bowl titles together.

“Gary, personally, became the priority,” Elway said.

Elway recalled Monday how, back in 1999, it was Kubiak who was sent to Elway’s home to try to talk the Hall of Fame quarterback out of retirement. On Monday morning, though Elway knew Kubiak was set in his decision, he decided to give Kubiak one more chance to change his mind.

But Kubiak would not be swayed.

“He said, 'Remember when you did that to me?’ ” Elway said.

Kubiak went 24-11 in his two seasons with the Broncos and coached the team to a Super Bowl title last year. The Broncos beat the Oakland Raiders 24-6 on Sunday in Kubiak’s final game. Kubiak delivered an emotional speech to his players after the game and spent his news conference Monday thanking a long list of people, from his wife and three sons, two of whom are on his staff in Denver, and his assistant coaches, many of whom previously worked with him with the Houston Texans.

“I have struggled big time this year, and these coaches have picked me up big time,” Kubiak said. “I just feel like it’s time for me to do something else.”

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Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones

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