ENGLEWOOD — Former Broncos head coaches Gary Kubiak and Wade Phillips both have been following Vance Joseph’s career closely for much of this century. Both now see him ready to again be an NFL head coach.

Joseph, 53, was the Broncos’ coach from 2017-18, being fired after going 11-21. After four years spent as Arizona’s defensive coordinator, he is in his third season as Denver’s defensive coordinator and has done a masterful job. Entering Sunday night’s game at Washington, the 9-2 Broncos are No. 3 in the NFL in both scoring and total defense and lead the NFL with 49 sacks.

Kubiak was Denver’s head coach from 2015-16 after having been a Broncos backup quarterback from 1983-91 and their offensive coordinator from 1995-2005. When he was coach of the Houston Texans from 2006-13, he had Joseph as his defensive backs coach from 2011-13.

“I think he should (again be a head coach),’’ Kubiak told The Denver Gazette in a phone interview. “Vance has stood the test of time. He’s a guy who has stayed after it for a long time and he’s always battled back. If you coach long enough, you’re going to have some disappointments. But Vance has hung in there and done a tremendous job wherever he’s been as a coordinator, and then you only get better when it’s your second opportunity to be a head coach because you’re learning from all these people you worked for.”

When Kubiak was with the Texans, he had Phillips as his defensive coordinator from 2011-13, and Phillips served as interim coach for the final three games of 2013 after Kubiak was fired. Phillips had stints with Denver as head coach from 1993-94 and defensive coordinator from 1989-92 and 2015-16.

“He’s certainly earned the chance (to be a head coach again),’’ Phillips told The Denver Gazette by phone. “They’re looking for quality people and he’s certainly that. They’re looking for winners, from teams that are doing really well, and coordinators from that group, and their group is playing tremendously well.”

Under Joseph last year, the Broncos began to establish themselves as having one of the NFL’s top units, ranking No. 3 in the NFL in scoring defense and No. 7 in total defense. After last season, he had interviews for head positions with the New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders but wasn’t offered either job.

With the defense being even better this season and the Broncos having one of the top records in the NFL, Joseph is expected to be a hot candidate come January to again be a head coach.

“I think it’s cool but obviously the job is the job and the job’s the Broncos’ coordinator job,’’ Joseph said after Thursday’s practice at Broncos Park about being talked up by Kubiak, Phillips and others. “It’s flattering. But my second time through the process or my third or fourth time through the process (in a coaching search), I don’t think about it. I really don’t, because I know it’s about winning. Everyone wants to hire winners and they want to hire someone who’s fixed something.”

Joseph certainly has played a key role in fixing the Broncos, who are contending for the top seed for the AFC playoffs and last season made the playoffs for the first time since they won Super Bowl 50 in the 2015 season.

“There’s no better example than what we’ve done here in the last three years,’’ Joseph said. “Being with (head coach) Sean (Payton) obviously helped my learning of how to fix a team. I think the key is to win and not worry about the process. It takes care of it. It’s the Broncos’ season right now and that’s my focus honestly. If (becoming a head coach again) happens, I’ll be happy that it happened. If it doesn’t, I have a good job. I have good players. I’m in a great city. So I have no worries honestly.”

The retired Kubiak, 64, returned to Denver last month for Alumni Weekend, when a 10-year reunion was held for the Super Bowl 50 team he coached. He looked on as the Broncos on Oct. 19 scored 33 points in the fourth quarter to stun the New York Giants 33-32. While that wasn’t one of the Broncos’ better defensive efforts this season, he regularly watches their games at his home in Plantersville, Texas.

“I’m a big fan of Vance,’’ Kubiak said. “They’ve played exceptional defense all year long. When you play great defense in the NFL, you’ve got a chance to win every game.”

Being the defensive coordinator on the Super Bowl 50 team, Phillips also came to Denver for the 10-year reunion. Phillips, 78, who most recently was head coach last spring of the now-defunct San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League, regularly watches Denver games on television at his home in the Houston area.

“What (Joseph is) doing is utilizing the talents of his players,’’ said Phillips, who has had head coaching stints with six NFL teams and is regarded as one of the top defensive coordinators in league history. “I think to me that’s what a great coordinator does is utilize the players in the best way he can and he’s put that together. That’s not easy to do. It’s players over scheme. You’ve got to be versatile enough to say, ‘Hey, I got to change these things if this guy can do this but he can’t do that.”’

Aside from X’s and O’s, Phillips said Joseph has the right temperament to deserve another shot as an NFL boss.

“He has all the qualifications and he works so well with players in getting them to play and to get the best out of the players,’’ Phillips said. “He’s also a great communicator and he’s likable. Everybody likes him. I think that’s important.”

Kubiak agrees.

“Vance is extremely qualified as a coach and Vance has always been somebody that’s been able to relate to all the players, whether they’re 21 or 35,’’ Kubiak said. “He does a great job with people and his work speaks for itself.”

Come the end of the regular season, teams could be lining up to hire Joseph. He might end up having a choice of which job could be the best fit.