- Collier also served as head coach of the Buffalo Bills for two seasons (1966-1968)
- He played a role in Pro Football Hall of Fame LB Randy Gradishar’s success in 2024
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The Denver Broncos are mourning the death of legendary defensive coordinator Joe Collier after the architect of the “Orange Crush” defense died Tuesday at the age of 91.
Collier, who was also head coach of the Buffalo Bills (1966-1968), died at his home in Littleton, Colorado, and is survived by his longtime partner Sue Henry and his three children: Joel, Julie and Lisa.
He was hired by the Broncos in 1969 and worked for the franchise for 19 years (until 1988). He first served as Denver’s defensive backs coach before being promoted to defensive coordinator.
A statement released by the Broncos on coordinators of all time. .
“He was an innovator in the NFL with his 3-4 defense and helped the Broncos to three Super Bowl appearances during a storied career with our franchise that spanned more than two decades.
Joe Collier – the architect of the ’70s ‘Orange Crush’ defense – died at his home in Colorado
Collier talks to Broncos DBs Steve Wilson, Louis Wright and Dennis Smith in a 1985 game
“Collier was intelligent, modest and soft-spoken, providing steady leadership to five different head coaches as the Broncos emerged as perennial contenders in the 1970s and 1980s.
“His profound influence on countless players and coaches in Denver included twelve Broncos Ring of Famers, eleven Pro Bowl selections and 2024 Pro Football Hall of Famer linebacker Randy Gradishar.
“Collier’s loyalty to the Broncos extended beyond the playing field as a member of the Ring of Fame Selection Committee for more than 20 years dedicated to recognizing our all-time greats.
“As we celebrate the extraordinary life and career of Joe Collier, our thoughts go out to his three children (Joel, Julie and Lisa), along with all of his family and friends.”
Collier influenced several notable head coaches during his decade in professional football, including longtime New England coach Bill Belichick, who worked under Collier with the Broncos in 1978 and what he called a great “learning experience.”
Collier’s defensive tactics influenced several coaches in the NFL, most notably Bill Belichick
“I learned to see the game through Joe Collier’s eyes and… Joe, how he let me break it down for him, I could see how he looked at it as a defensive coach. That was valuable,” Belichick said in a 2020 phone call ahead of a Broncos-Patriots game.
“Not everyone looks at it the same way, but Joe was very adept at analyzing offenses and what they did and when they did it,” Belichick continued. ‘He could anticipate very well. He did an excellent job of that. I broke down the games for him, but the way he had me do it was a little different than the way I had done it in Baltimore. I gained a lot of insight there.’
One of Collier’s areas of expertise, according to Belichick, was situational defense.
“That definitely stuck with me: red zone defenses and goal line defenses. They had some of the best goal lines – for me, [they had] As good at goal-line defense as we’ve seen in the National Football League – they and the Vikings were certainly two of the best,” Belichick said.
“And the way Joe played the goal line, I definitely learned a lot about that as well. That was a great year, a great experience. I loved working for the Broncos in ’78.’