Broncos Hire Former Panthers Coach John Fox

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - The Denver Broncos hired John Fox on Thursday, hoping he's the right coach to turn around the downtrodden team.

Fox beat out four other candidates to replace Josh McDaniels, who was fired Dec. 6 amid the Broncos' worst slide in four decades and the embarrassing Spygate II videotaping scandal.

The 55-year-old former Carolina Panthers coach will be introduced by the Broncos at a news conference Friday.

"I am very thankful to Pat Bowlen and John Elway for giving me the opportunity to coach a football team with such a proud tradition," Fox said in a statement. "The Broncos have a culture of winning, and I am excited to continue that legacy. I can't wait to get to work."

Fox went 78-74 including playoffs in nine seasons with the Panthers, who didn't renew his contract following an NFL-worst 2-14 season in 2010. Fox led the Panthers to the 2004 Super Bowl.

Fox arrived in Denver on Wednesday to meet with new Broncos chief football executive John Elway after his flight out of North Carolina was delayed three times by winter weather. He was the fifth and final candidate interviewed.

Elway wrote on Twitter in announcing the hiring that Fox "is a dynamic and proven leader who will energize our entire organization."

"Coach Fox is a great fit for us not only with his coaching ability but also with his personality," Elway said in a statement. "He's coached great defenses, turned teams around and been to Super Bowls. We couldn't be more excited to have him lead our football team."

Denver is coming off a franchise-worst 4-12 season and is need of a major makeover, much like the Panthers were when Fox arrived in 2002 following a 1-15 season. He led them to a 7-9 mark in his first year before guiding them to the Super Bowl in his second season.