Steve Atwater felt so confident when preparing for Super Bowl XXXII that the former Broncos safety told his position coach late in the week, “We’ve seen enough film. We’ve got it. It’s all in the can, man.”

Ed Donatell agreed. He turned off the tape of the Packers and turned up the Denver focus. It’s a microcosm of player-coach trust that propelled the Broncos to their first Lombardi Trophy soon after.

“Everything played out on the field like we had studied,” Atwater said. “It happened just like that.”

Twenty years after the Broncos’ back-to-back championships, the man once in charge of their vaunted secondary has returned. New head coach Vic Fangio hired Donatell as his defensive coordinator last month, marking his third stint on staff after previously coaching Denver’s secondary from 1995-99 and 2009-10.

“It’s just the same,” Donatell said. “You can feel the tradition and you can feel the expectation.”

Fangio will call defensive plays next season, but don’t marginalize Donatell’s role. The pair worked wonders together in San Francisco (2011-14) and Chicago (2015-18), utilizing Fangio’s expertise coaching linebackers and Donatell’s experience at the back end. The 49ers and Bears combined for 20 defensive Pro Bowl selections through their previous eight seasons together.

“We’ve started meetings with the other defensive coaches installing our defense from ground zero,” Fangio said. “(Donatell) is in there with me and he already knows everything and knows the evolution of it. It’s very helpful to the new guys that aren’t used to this defense for us to put it in.”

Donatell’s teaching ability was put to the test in his first Broncos go-round in 1995 as a 38-year-old assistant on his second NFL coaching stop. He inherited a veteran secondary headlined by Atwater, Tyrone Braxton and Ray Crockett. Atwater said Donatell provided older players instruction without being “overbearing” and that his attention to detail trumped all else.

“I don’t remember any time when things were bad on the field and we were just losing it, yelling or all that stuff,” Atwater said. “We just didn’t have to do any of that because it felt like we were so well prepared. We didn’t make all the plays, obviously, but 90-plus percent of the time we were in the right place and playing the right defense.

“From looking at the film last year, many times our players seemed to be out of position and before the play is starting they are communicating with each other like, ‘Who has that guy? Who has this guy?’ I felt for them in that situation. I’m anticipating that not being an issue this year as the season goes on.”

Donatell’s second appearance on Denver’s staff ended with former coach Josh McDaniels’ exit. His impact wasn’t lost, though, especially on cornerback Renaldo Hill — who rejoined Donatell and the Broncos as a defensive backs coach in January.

“He poured into me and I wanted to pour it back. It definitely showed up in games,” Hill said. “From my time here playing to my next step (coaching) at Wyoming … he’s been a part of my growth. He would constantly check up on me and see if I’m doing the things he emphasized. I’m grateful to be here and to be working under him and coach Fangio.”

Donatell has 28 years of NFL coaching experience, with the Broncos his third defensive coordinator post. His first priority in Denver is to “affect the quarterback, and that doesn’t mean blitzing, it means a combination of rush and coverage.” His game-day role either in the box or on the sideline is yet to be determined. Donatell only knows how blessed he feels to be back.

“It’s an honor to be able to come back,” Donatell said.