The Denver Broncos locked up head coach Sean Payton for another five years. The Broncos languished in mediocrity for nearly a decade after winning Super Bowl 50 in 2015. Payton turned the team’s fortunes around, leading the Broncos to the AFC Championship last season. Payton is now entering his 21st season as a head coach, and has nearly 40 years of total experience.
“Sean Payton has led an impressive turnaround over the past three seasons, instilling a winning culture with high expectations,” Broncos owner Greg Penner said in a statement on the team’s official website. “I appreciate the close partnership he shares with George Paton along with the alignment and stability across our football operations. We’re thrilled for Sean to continue leading our team as head coach, building on our progress during such an exciting time for the Broncos.”
Payton said at his post-practice press conference on June 11 that the feeling is mutual.
“I think it makes all the sense in the world,” he said. “I’m super appreciative of that opportunity. I said this to you guys earlier, that triangle of ownership, the Walton-Penner group, Carrie [Walton Penner] and Greg, and then [general manager] George [Paton], working with them. I’ve been spoiled, because I had a [really] good experience in New Orleans with ownership and [GM] Mickey [Loomis], and to go two-for-two with that is hard in our league. And so I’m thankful they want me back, and we'll do everything we can to continue to keep winning.”
Payton played quarterback at Eastern Illinois University and went undrafted in 1987. He played arena football and in the Canadian Football League before joining the Chicago Bears as a replacement during the 1987 NFL Players’ strike. He played in Europe in 1988 before beginning his coaching career.
After stints at San Diego State and Indiana State, Payton became quarterbacks coach at Miami University in Ohio, then at Illinois. He joined the NFL ranks in 1997, becoming the QBs coach for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1997-98. He moved on to the New York Giants and served as QBs coach in 1999 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2000. He then joined the Dallas Cowboys in 2003 as assistant head coach and QBs coach.
In 2006, Payton was hired as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints, who were still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. The team became heroes to the city of New Orleans after going 10-6 and reaching the NFC Championship Game. Three years later, the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV.
After the 2011 season, Payton was suspended for his role in the “Bountygate” scandal. The NFL said in 2012 that the Saints had violated the “NFL’s long-standing ‘bounty’ rule” after finding players were paid for “‘knock-outs’ and ’cart-offs,' plays on which an opposing player was forced to leave the game.” He spent the 2012 season coaching his son’s Christian school team.
He returned to the team in 2013. The Saints struggled from 2014-2017, but made the playoffs every year from 2017-2020. He retired from coaching after the 2021 season and spent the 2022 season as an analyst for Fox Sports.
In 2023, the Broncos traded their 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 second-round pick to the Saints in exchange for Payton and a 2024 third-round pick. Payton infamously had a tense relationship with quarterback Russell Wilson, which resulted in his eventual benching and eventual cut from the team. But in 2024, Payton’s Broncos went 10-7 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2015. In 2025, the Broncos went 13-4, won the AFC West for the first time since their Super Bowl run, and reached the AFC Championship Game, where they lost to the New England Patriots, 10-7.
Payton was asked how long he intends to keep coaching.
“Well, five years,” he said jokingly. “I think most importantly, aligning with George, and the working relationship—we enjoy coming to work together and going through this together, and I think we think a lot alike. You guys heard that story a year ago in Vegas. The week prior, [quarterback] Bo [Nix] asked me how long, and I was like, ’shoot, plenty of time, eight years, nine years or whatever.‘ And then we had one of those game day moments. And I said, ’well, right now it feels like one year'... but I haven’t given any thought to the endgame. I think I’ve got a lot of juice left and enjoy what we’re doing. ... When that stops is when you got to look at it, but I’m not at that spot right now.”
