Broncos HC Sean Payton Paid Attention to 'Some' of the Outside Noise

Sean Payton got a little sensitive about how well his team defied external expectations this past season.
Jan 12, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton walks off the field after losing to the Buffalo Bills in an AFC wild card game at Highmark Stadium.
Jan 12, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton walks off the field after losing to the Buffalo Bills in an AFC wild card game at Highmark Stadium. / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
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You could almost see the steam coming out of Sean Payton's ears on Wednesday when he was asked about the external "expectations" surrounding the 2024 Denver Broncos, including the oddsmakers, who set the team's over/under for wins at 5.5. The Broncos won 10 games.

“Are we talking about your expectations or ours? I have no interest in their expectations," Payton said. "I say that respectfully—I have no interest.”

I couldn't help but feel a little bit for 9NEWS' Mike Klis, whose simple question seemed to trigger Payton's wrath. But the Broncos head coach eventually offered up some insight into why there was so much outside noise before the season started, revealing that, indeed, he is interested in it. He can't help but pay some attention to the media.

“There were a lot of reasons. It wasn’t just the cap. You paid attention to some of it," Payton said. "‘We didn’t have a quarterback. We didn’t have this. We didn’t have that.’ I get it, those people are paid to create content. They have a job, but oftentimes it’s just that. I don’t think that existed internally."

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Indeed, everyone has a job to do. And that led to a lot of freezing-cold takes on Bo Nix and the Broncos last year.

As Payton opines, a lot of the negativity surrounding the Broncos was due to the lack of belief in Nix. The Broncos did carry north of $92 million in dead-money charges on the salary cap, which significantly hamstrung the team. Meanwhile, Denver's rivals and opponents could spend that $92M on players.

That forced the Broncos to go cheap in free agency and to depend on the youth of their roster. Thanks to Nix's leadership and emergence, the Broncos were able to win 10 games and make the playoffs thanks to the collective effort of the draft class and young players.

Payton and his staff did a fine job coaching them up and putting the Broncos in position to win double-digit games for the first time since Peyton Manning was calling the signals. The Broncos' five All-Pro selections were the team's most since 1996. Kudos to Payton and company.

"I think in seriousness to what you’re asking, I think early on, you don’t know what you have as a team," Payton said. "I get asked that all the time, ‘How’s your team going to be?’ I’m like, ‘I’m anxious to see.’"

To Payton, the turning point in the season began in Week 3. After opening the season 0-2, the Broncos had a big hole to dig out of staring down the barrel of a two-game East Coast road trip, where traditionally, they haven't had a lot of success.

However, Nix turned a corner in Week 3's win over Tampa Bay, and despite an ugly game in a torrential downpour, the Broncos also defeated the New York Jets in their house in Week 4. That balanced the scales at 2-2, setting the Broncos up for a home tilt vs. the Las Vegas Raiders, which they won.

That three-game winning streak served as the impetus for an overall turnaround for the 2024 Broncos. It gave a very young Broncos squad the confidence it needed to attack the second quarter of the season, which led to a phenomenal October.

"I think that early stretch of the season, bouncing back was extremely important, and I think coming back from that eastern swing and there’s a stretch we win four or five in a row here," Payton said. "It’s an evolving thing that took place, and that was good to see. There’s confidence that’s built with that, but the other stuff, the outside noise, whatever.”

Payton was a little jumpy on the topic of outside expectations, but he has no reason to be so sensitive. He can hold his head up high thanks to how the Broncos made fools out of so many talking heads and the oddsmakers.

2024 was a great stepping stone. It'll be fun to see how much higher the Broncos can climb in 2025 and beyond.


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Chad Jensen
CHAD JENSEN

Chad Jensen is the Founder of Mile High Huddle and creator of the wildly popular Mile High Huddle Podcast. Chad has been on the Denver Broncos beat since 2012 and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.