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The Denver Broncos feel they have one of the best coaches in the league. After three full seasons at the helm, most of Broncos Country likely feel the same way about Sean Payton.
Payton took over a team that had missed the playoffs in seven straight seasons in 2023. He has gone 32-19 and taken the team to the playoffs the past two seasons, reaching last year's AFC Championship Game. He has the Broncos positioned as a top contender heading into the 2026 season.
Patrick Daugherty of NBC Sports feels that he is one of the best coaches in the league right now. In his current power rankings, he lists Payton at No. 5 out of 32. Here was his analysis:
"Sean Payton didn’t need to prove anything. He’s done so anyways. The last of the Parcells disciples, Payton had a .631 winning percentage with the Saints. It’s .620 with the Broncos. It’s actually .666 since his infamous 70-20 loss to Mike McDaniel’s Dolphins in Week 3 of the 2023 season. That was Payton’s wake-up call. He’s been wide-eyed ever since. Payton’s continued Broncos success has come despite a few strange foibles. His vaunted short-passing game isn’t what it once was. The backfield has been reasonably efficient, if strangely inert. It obviously hasn’t precluded winning — Payton’s Broncos are the first team other than the Chiefs to take the AFC West since Mahomes became starter in 2018 — though it has turned what used to be a beautiful system into a tough watch. That’s undoubtedly what led Payton to make the shocking offseason decision of surrendering play-calling duties to OC Davis Webb. Payton is one of the best play-callers in the history of the game. That he was willing to hand over the keys speaks to not only an uncommon self awareness for someone with his résumé, but a truly burning desire to win. If Payton fails to reach another Super Bowl, it won’t be because he was unwilling to do whatever it takes."
Only Mike McDonald, Kyle Shanahan, Andy Reid and Sean McVay came in ahead of Payton. That would make Payton the second-best coach in the AFC, currently, behind only the multi-time Super Bowl champion Reid.
When Payton took over in Denver, there were plenty of skeptics, particularly after that embarrassing loss in Miami. He was having to work with Russell Wilson that season, a combination that never had any chance to have any real success.
Drafting Bo Nix in the first round in 2024 was the first step to getting things going in the other direction. Vance Joseph getting his defense to play like one of the best in the league has been a big help as well. Payton knows exactly what he's looking for in his team. He has been good at adjusting to what works in today's league and what doesn't.
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Finally, Daugherty brings up a great point about Davis Webb. Though it's been months since that move was made, the decision to make him the team's new play-caller is going to be the biggest story surrounding this team heading into the 2026 season. If that move ends up being what puts the Broncos over the top and they win it all, Payton will look even better and should go up even higher on this list.
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