The Broncos aren’t playing around.

The Denver Broncos are moving on from offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi in a stunning turn of events.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, the Broncos have fired Joe Lombardi. The surprise announcement comes less than 48 hours after they fell 10-7 to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.

Lombardi had spent three seasons as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator under Sean Payton. The longtime assistant also worked under Payton in New Orleans from 2007 to 2013 and 2016 to 2020, winning a Super Bowl 44 ring in the 2009 season.

The move to fire Lombardi is surprising for two reasons. One, he did an excellent job unlocking the potential of quarterback Bo Nix. Denver would have likely won the AFC Championship Game if Nix hadn’t been sidelined with a broken bone in his ankle.

Secondly, Payton is traditionally loyal to his assistants. And if anything else, Payton should take the blame for drawing up a dull game plan for Jarrett Stidham in the 10-7 loss to New England.

Denver Broncos Could Lose More Assistants After Joe Lombardi’s Firing

Sean Payton (Image Credits: Imagn)
Earlier today, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Broncos passing game coordinator Jim Leonhard is a front-runner to become the new Buffalo Bills’ defensive coordinator. On Tuesday, the Bills promoted OC Joe Brady to HC.

On top of Leonhard, the Broncos could also lose quarterbacks coach Davis Webb. The latter interviewed with the Bills and Las Vegas Raiders. It’s also possible that Lombardi was fired with the idea that Payton would promote Webb to offensive coordinator.

It’ll be interesting to see how the remaining NFL coaching hires play out. But the firing of Lombardi is certainly a stunner, and it doesn’t look good on the Denver head coach by any means.

Luka Doncic ‘destroys’ the Mavs on his return. Gets standing ovation and shows love to Mark Cuban

Luka Doncic hits 45 points in his first game in Dallas since being traded to the Los Angeles.

It’s rare for a home crowd to cheer the visiting team, but Luka Doncic’s return to Dallas was no ordinary night.

Just days before February’s trade deadline, the Mavericks shocked the NBA by sending their 26-year-old superstar to the Lakers—a move that outraged fans and sparked backlash toward GM Nico Harrison.

On Wednesday, Doncic played his first game back in Dallas since the trade. The arena was filled with fans in both his old Mavs and new Lakers jerseys, many chanting “Fire Nico” in protest.

Despite the emotion in the air, Doncic delivered a dominant performance, scoring a game-high 45 points to lead the Lakers to a 112-97 win. It was a powerful return for one of the league’s brightest stars—and a night Dallas won’t soon forget

The Mavericks pay tribute to Luka Dončić

While the Mavericks’ decision to trade Luka Doncic remains heavily criticized, they handled his return to Dallas with undeniable grace. The organization made sure his first game back as a Laker was met with respect and appreciation.

Every seat in the arena was draped with a T-shirt reading “Hvala za vse,” which translates from Slovenian to “thank you for everything.” It was a thoughtful nod to Doncic’s heritage and impact on the franchise.

Before tip-off, during the starting lineup announcements, the Mavericks played a tribute video showcasing some of Doncic’s most iconic moments in a Dallas jersey. The emotional gesture clearly resonated—moving Doncic to tears in front of the crowd that once called him their own.

Luka Doncic ‘DESTROYS’ his old team

Luka delivered a dazzling performance against his former team, putting up 45 points on 16-of-28 shooting, including 7-of-10 from beyond the arc. He also added 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in a game that showed exactly why he’s one of the best in the league.

From the opening tip, Doncic was locked in. By halftime, Doncic had racked up 31 points on 11-of-16 shooting in just 19 minutes—marking the 10th time in his career he’s scored 30 or more in a single half.

Though his scoring slowed in the second half, he continued to lead effectively, securing both a Lakers win and an unforgettable showing for the fans in Dallas.