Former Denver Broncos general manager Ted Sundquist wrote an interesting piece about what led to the Broncos’ decision to trade up in the 2006 draft to select Jay Cutler.
There’s some good insight, particularly when Sundquist shares his first-hand knowledge about what the Broncos looked at and how the pieces fell into place. One item Sundquist mentions is really worth considering.
Enter Mike Heimerdinger. Dinger was a longtime friend and college roommate of Mike Shanahan’s and had previously been in Denver as wide receivers coach from 1995 to 1999. We brought him back as assistant head coach in late January 2006, about three months before the draft.
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He immediately began lobbying for Cutler.
There’s more on top of that, but I’ll let you read the piece. I will, however, present a “what if” scenario for everyone to consider, while keeping in mind that, sadly, Heimerdinger passed away in 2011 after a battle with cancer.
WHAT IF… Mike Heimerdinger had not left the Broncos after two seasons and, after Mike Shanahan’s dismissal, been interviewed by Pat Bowlen and subsequently got the head coaching job?
