The Denver Broncos announced via Twitter that they have hired John Fox as their next head coach. Fox replaces former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels who was fired late in the season after less than two seasons on the job. Fox was the coach of the Carolina Panthers for the last nine season where he compiled a 73-71 record. His best season in Carolina ended with a loss to the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVII.

After starting every game this season until last week, quarterback Kyle Orton said that he isn’t pleased with the Broncos, and, according to the Denver Post, could in all likelihood be traded after the culmination of the NFL season. Orton lost his starting job last week due to injury, and rookie quarterback Tim Tebow took over. But the Broncos have named Tebow the starter for the remaining two games of the regular season, despite Orton being healthy enough to play.

“I’d love to play it out,” Orton told the Post. “It wasn’t my decision. There was nothing I could do. … The way it was presented to me was he’ll be the starter the rest of the season and that’s just how it goes.”

For the first half of the 2010 season, Orton was on pace to set the single-season passing record for the Broncos, who were at the time hovering near a .500 record. Since then, the Broncos have ended up in last place in the AFC West with a 3-11 record.

Tebow, in his first career start, threw for one touchdown and ran for another on in the team’s 39-23 loss to the Raiders.

The Broncos may get a new general manager to join John Elway in a newly-constructed front office, and will decide the future of Orton beyond this season.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via twitter), Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow will make his first career NFL start on Sunday in Oakland against the Raiders. The Broncos took the former Heisman trophy winner in the first round of the 2010 draft, but have used him sparingly thus far. Tebow has thrown one pass — a three-yard touchdown pass — and has run 12 times for 28 yards and three touchdowns.

With Broncos starting quarterback Kyle Orton sidelined by injured ribs (he is officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s contest), Denver has apparently made the decision to explore what Tebow can do as an NFL quarterback.

With playoff hopes gone and the season all but over for the 3-10 Broncos, it’s a possibility that interim coach Eric Studesville would consider giving rookie quarterback Tim Tebow more snaps and game experience, the Denver Post reports. Studesville said on Monday that he and the offensive coaching staff will determine this week how they distribute the number of snaps Tebow, current starter Kyle Orton and backup Brady Quinn get in practice.

“We are not going to just throw him in without preparing him to do it,” Studesville told the Post. “But we haven’t made those decisions [yet].”

Tebow estimated on Monday that in a regular week of practice he receives about 5 percent of the snaps in goal-line and short-yardage situations. The Broncos take on the Raiders in Oakland this Sunday. The Raiders are seventh in the NFL in pass defense, giving up 202.5 yards per game through the air.

Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels said Monday that he was aware of the tension around his team after their off-field video controversy and eighth consecutive loss. McDaniels believes that he is not focused on his job security because it is not something that is up to him.

Sunday the Broncos lost 36-33 at home against the Rams, leaving the Broncos in last place in the AFC West. McDaniels is in the second year of a four year contract and the team has won just five of its last 16 games.

According to thedenverchannel.com, Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams was arrested early Friday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence. Williams reportedly was driving a Hummer when he was pulled over at 2:50 a.m. at Broadway and 9th Avenue, and he was arrested at the scene.

Police turned the case over to the Denver district attorney’s office to determine whether or not the linebacker should be charged. This is Williams’ second arrest for DUI in Denver, his first coming in 2005.

Josh McDaniels will do what it takes to win over frustrated Broncos fans. In the second half against the 49ers, McDaniels called on Tim Tebow to take his first snap of the game at the goal line. Tebow took the snap from the shotgun and ran left, for a 1-yard touchdown run. Tebow had his first TD run earlier in the season but the Broncos has limited the QB’s exposure so far this season.

Tebow has yet to throw a pass this season, but he has carried the ball nine times for 26 yards and two touchdowns on the season.

Following the Broncos’ embarrassing 59-14 loss to the Raiders, Denver is in disarray. According to that report, “the stream of fans heading to the exits became a rush” following Darren McFadden‘s 57-yard touchdown run in the third quarter (his fourth TD on the day). In a poll on the Denver Post’s game recap, nearly 83 percent of voters believe the team has already quit. Former Bronco and current ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth tweeted during the game: “I have lived in Denver since 1995 and I can’t remember a more embarrassing showing by the Broncos ever!”

Someone’s seat is getting hotter, and it’s that of former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Since winning his first six games as a head coach, McDaniels has gone 4-13. One Denver Post headline questions, “Josh losing fans; is he losing team too?” Another columnist predicts “Orton can never again inspire real hopein this town,” also adding ”If [Tim] Tebow can’t play, then McDaniels is done in Denver.”

McDaniels response to all the turmoil? An apology. “I apologize to [owner] Pat [Bowlen], the organization, the fans, everybody else. That was awful,” he said.

If he can’t win now and win often, McDaniels may have to familiarize himself with Timbaland’s cold message:

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has won two collegiate national championships, the 2007 Heisman trophy, and had the NFL’s top selling jersey for the start of the 2010 season. Now, the 25th overall pick of the NFL draft has his first professional touchdown.

Tebow took a snap from the shotgun and ran to the right for a five-yard touchdown to bring the Broncos level with the New York Jets, 7-7, in the first quarter. Tebow has yet to throw a pass. The Jets would beat the Broncos, 24-20.

Rookie wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, the Broncos top draft pick, was injured during Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens. Thomas was hit hard on a second-quarter kickoff return and fumbled the ball to the Ravens in the process. Thomas took a hit from Jason Phillips at the Denver 16 and Ken Hamlin recovered the fumble for the Ravens. Thomas’ head was whipped to one side and crumpled to the ground after the hit; he was down on the field for several minutes while being treated by medical officials until getting to the sideline under his own power.

Officials said Thomas suffered head and neck injuries, according to Fanhouse. The athletic receiver will not return to action during the game. Thomas had two catches for 12 yards before the injury.