INTERIM HEAD COACH — Denver Broncos’ senior assistant coach Jerry Rosburg (right), shown having a discussion with NFL game officials, will be named later today as the team’s interim head coach for the final two games of the season, according to reports by the Associated Press and ESPN. Rosburg, a Fairmont native, returned to the NFL sideline in September after retiring as the Baltimore Ravens’ special teams coordinator in March of 2019. (Photo by Associated Press)

FAIRMONT — All-state high school football player, collegiate All-American, Division I assistant coach, NFL special teams guru, Super Bowl champion.

After achieving all of the above gridiron accolades and more during the past four decades, Fairmont native Jerry Rosburg now can add “NFL interim head coach” to his already impressive career resume.

According to Associated Press Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton’s breaking story on Monday, the Denver Bronco players were told during a team meeting that Rosburg will serve as the interim head coach for the final two games of the regular season following head coach Nathaniel Hackett’s firing 24 hours after a 51-14 dismantling by the Los Angeles Rams on Christmas Day.

Broncos’ co-owner and CEO Greg Penner and the team’s management have scheduled a news conference for today to discuss the details about the changes, according to ESPN.

Ironically, Rosburg, 67, retired on March 15, 2019, after 11 seasons — 2008-18 — serving as the Baltimore Ravens’ special teams coordinator/associate head coach, but was coaxed into returning to the NFL on the Broncos’ sideline in September. Hackett hired Rosburg to help the first-year head coach with game operations and clock management this season.

Denver managed only a 4-11 record to this juncture, with the top two teams in the AFC’s West Division remaining on the schedule.

The Broncos travel to Kansas City for a noon game against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs (12-3) on New Year’s Day before playing host to the Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) on Sunday, Jan. 8.

Now, Rosburg, who has never been a head coach in the NFL but did earn a Super Bowl championship ring with the Baltimore Ravens in 2013, will need to dig deep into his vast knowledge of the game to reunite a Broncos’ franchise in turmoil against a pair of playoff-bound opponents in less than two weeks.

Rosburg faces difficult odds during his interim stint as the Broncos have missed the playoffs seven straight seasons and extended their string of losing records to six in a row.

Rosburg, a 1974 Fairmont High School graduate, earned all-state honors on the prep gridiron under the tutelage of legendary Cardinals’ mentor Thomas Mahoney Sr.

Rosburg later merited All-American football accolades as a defensive back at North Dakota State University before graduating with his bachelor’s degree in 1978.

Fairmont’s favorite native son began his legendary coaching career in the prep ranks, coached at the D-I level — including stints with the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame — before eventually reaching the NFL sideline as one of the game’s top special teams coaches.

The Sentinel sports staff was unable to contact Rosburg for comment concerning the news.