Former Broncos assistant coach faces assault charges after denied diversion deal

DENVER — A now-former Broncos assistant coach accused of punching and injuring a Denver police officer won’t get a chance at a program that could have let him avoid a criminal prosecution and the possibility of a prison sentence, 9NEWS Investigates has learned.

Michael Wilhoite had hoped to be allowed into Denver’s “diversion” program, where the successful completion of education and community service would have meant the criminal case was dropped.

But the officer injured in the Feb. 23 incident refused to agree to the deal – a requirement for it to go forward.

As a result, the criminal case against Wilhoite will proceed, beginning with his next court appearance May 6.

Prosecutors charged Wilhoite with second-degree assault on a peace officer, obstruction of a peace officer, and criminal mischief after a confrontation in a passenger pickup lane at Denver International Airport.

The diversion program is for first-time offenders and only certain categories of crimes.

Wilhoite qualified based on the charges and the fact he has no prior criminal record.

According to court records, a uniformed Denver police officer working at the airport saw Wilhoite pull into the second lane in the arrivals area and leave his gray 2021 Ford Bronco unattended. When Wilhoite returned to his vehicle, the officer told him he could not leave his vehicle in that spot.

Wilhoite told the officer to “shut the (expletive) up,” according to court records.

The officer again told Wilhoite that he could not leave his vehicle unattended and Wilhoite gave the officer the same reply, according to court documents.

Wilhoite then approached the officer and chest-bumped him, causing the officer to step back, according to the documents. The officer shoved Wilhoite back and then Wilhoite punched the officer, causing the officer to fall to the ground, according to the statement.

He suffered “visible injuries to both knees,” experienced pain in his jaw, and may also have sustained damage to his left wrist, according to the documents.

Wilhoite, 38, is a former NFL player who joined the Broncos staff as Sean Payton’s outside linebackers coach prior to the 2023 season. Undrafted out of Division II Washburn, where he played free safety and outside linebacker, Wilhoite played five years mostly as an inside linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers from 2012-16 and a sixth season for Seattle in 2017. He started 45 games in his final four seasons.

He then began his coaching career under Payton in 2019 as a special teams assistant for the New Orleans Saints and was a defensive assistant there in 2020. Wilhoite then became a linebackers coach for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021-22 before rejoining Payton’s staff in 2023.