When the Denver Broncos hired Sean Payton to correct the erroneous hire of Nathaniel Hackett, it was under the assumption that he was going to turn around the team’s fledgling culture. Going into Year 3, Payton has righted Hackett’s wrongs, landing Bo Nix and turning the Broncos back into a playoff team. In 2024, Payton led the Broncos to a ten-win season, completing the turnaround from the five-win season in 2022.
For that reason, Pro Football Focus writer Dallas Wasserman named Payton the second-best returning coach in the NFL heading into the 2025 season. Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid tops the list. In contrast, Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni lands at a surprising No. 8. However, Payton’s turnaround work helps him land behind the legendary Chiefs spot.
“Payton inherited a disaster in Denver in 2023, and his quarterback, Russell Wilson, was clearly unhappy. After a 1-5 start, Payton rallied the team behind a strong defense to win seven of their final 11 games. Wilson was jettisoned, and the Broncos selected their new quarterback, Bo Nix, in the 2024 NFL Draft,” Wasserman wrote for PFF.
“Payton and Nix turned out to be a match made in heaven, giving Broncos fans a vision of Payton renewing the success he cultivated for so long in New Orleans. Denver’s defense was still strong last season, and Nix’s excellent 1.8% turnover-worthy play rate perfectly represented a team that didn’t beat itself. The Broncos lost only two games all season by more than one score, defeats to AFC elites Baltimore and Buffalo. Denver has only added more talent this offseason and should continue to contend with its elite head coach leading the way.”
Payton made good on his promise to right the ship. Can he take the Broncos back to the playoffs and beyond? We will find out in September.
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