John Fox ( football coach ) John Fox ( born February 8 , 1955 ) is an American Football coach who is currently head coach of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . Playing career . John Fox played football at Castle Park High School under local celebrated coaches Gil Warren and Reldon " Bing " Dawson and Southwestern College ( California ) in Chula Vista from 1974 - 1975 before going to San Diego State , where he played defensive back with NFL player & head coach Herman Edwards . Fox received a bachelor ’ s degree in physical education and earned teaching credentials from San Diego State . Early Coaching Career . In 1983 , John Fox was a member of Mike Gottfried ' s University of Kansas staff , as the secondary coach . Fox followed Mike Gottfried to the University of Pittsburgh when Gottfried became Head Coach at Pitt in 1986 . Fox was first the Defensive Backs coach and then was promoted to Defensive Coordinator by Gottfried . While at Pitt , Fox made some contacts with Pittsburgh Steeler coaches and when Gottfried was let go by Pitt , Fox got his first NFL coaching gig with the Steelers . USFL . Fox began his first professional football coaching stint in the short - lived United States Football League with the Los Angeles Express . NFL . He entered the NFL in 1989 as the secondary coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers , later also holding this job with the San Diego Chargers . Fox was the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Raiders and later that of the New York Giants during Super Bowl XXXV , which they lost . Carolina Panthers . In 2002 Fox was signed as the third head coach of the Panthers , whose previous coach George Seifert had led the team to a disastrous 1 - 15 record in 2001 . Fox ' s first regular season game was a 10 - 7 victory over the Baltimore Ravens which ended the Panthers ' 15 - game losing streak dating to the previous season . Fox and the Panthers posted a 7 - 9 record for the 2002 season ( his first with the team ) , demonstrating a drastic improvement over the previous season . In the 2003 season Fox led the Panthers to Super Bowl XXXVIII , losing 32 - 29 to the New England Patriots on a last - minute field goal by Adam Vinatieri . In taking the Panthers to the Super Bowl , Fox joined Vince Lombardi as the only coaches to inherit a team that had won only one game in the season immediately prior to their hiring , and then took that team to the NFL Championship game . Fox also took the Carolina Panthers to the NFC Championship game in the 2005 season , but they were defeated by the Seattle Seahawks . The 2006 season was disappointing for Fox and the Panthers , as a team that had Super Bowl aspirations finished 8 - 8 and out of the playoffs . The 2007 season saw the team finish with a record of 7 - 9 , before finishing with a 12 - 4 record in the 2008 season , again heading to the playoffs in which they were routed by the Arizona Cardinals . The 2009 season was disappointing to Fox and the Panthers much like 2006 . The Panthers finished the season 8 - 8 and in third place in the NFC South division , missing the playoffs again . The 2010 season saw the Panthers finish last in the league , at 2 - 14 . On December 31st , 2010 Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson announced he will not be renewing Fox ' s contract at the conclusion of the 2010 season . Denver Broncos . On January 13 , 2011 , Fox was selected to be the 14th head coach of the Denver Broncos . He was signed to a 4 year $ 14 million dollar deal . He was chosen by the Broncos out of a list of 5 possible head coach candidates that included Broncos interim head coach and former running backs coach Eric Studesville , Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter , Houston Texans offensive coordinator Rick Dennison and New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell . Fox was chosen based on his previous head coaching experience plus his 20 + years as an NFL coach . Personal life . John Fox was born in Virginia Beach , Virginia and raised in San Diego , California after moving there at age 15 . His father Ron was a US Navy SEAL . Fox is married to Robin Fox . They have three sons : Matthew , Mark and Cody , and a daughter , Halle . Fox is an active community leader in the Carolinas . He and his wife Robin co - chair the annual Angels & Stars Gala benefiting St . Jude Children ' s Research Hospital . he made the super bowl in 2003 Coaching tree . NFL head coaches under whom John Fox has served : Assistant coaches under John Fox who became NFL head coaches :