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Inside the Broncos’ coaching search: How late nights, long flights, hours of meetings ended with Nathaniel Hackett’s hire

A fourth candidate interview in 36 hours complete and a cross-country flight from Philadelphia to Los Angeles closing in, Broncos general manager George Paton was looking forward to a short night of sleep at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Following dinner, chief communications officer Patrick Smyth, who drinks coffee like most people drink water, offered Paton a double espresso.

“I had never really had one before,” Paton said with a laugh. “I didn’t sleep at all that night. I was so (ticked). It set me back.”

Fortunately for Paton, it was the only setback — and a brief one — during a 19-day odyssey-of-a-search to find a coach to replace Vic Fangio, whom he fired.