Analyzing Why Some Broncos Fans are Concerned with the Darren Rizzi Hire

With the hiring of special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, Sean Payton has brought yet another former New Orleans Saints assistant to the Denver Broncos. Rizzi becomes one of many former Saints coaches and players to follow Payton to Denver since he was hired in 2023, and this football migration from the Bayou to the Rockies has created concerns with some Broncos fans.

We hear the fan concerns nightly on the live Mile High Huddle podcasts and you can read them in the comment section of the applicable social media posts. "We're becoming the Denver Saints," is a common refrain.

But is having so many ex-Saints really a bad thing?

Let's examine the record. To end Payton's 16-year tenure in New Orleans, the Saints went 9-8 in 2021, his first year without Drew Brees. Payton's Saints posted records of 11-5, 13-3, 13-3, and 12-4 in the four years prior to Brees hanging it up.

Notice the plus-.500 theme? Those four years of double-digit wins saw the Saints make the playoffs, where they went 3-4. The Saints were having success, while the Broncos were struggling for nearly a decade.

So, no, it isn’t a bad thing for Payton to bring in his former coaches and players. However, there is a point where it could become detrimental to the Broncos.

Let's get into it the pros and the singular con of the Broncos having so many Saints transplants.

Pro: Culture Change

After a decade of losing and being at or near the bottom of the NFL, the Broncos needed to improve the locker room dynamics and bring in players and coaches accustomed to winning. In other words, they needed to change the culture. The Broncos desperately needed that culture change, including moving on from some long-time players.

It isn’t like the former Saints players saw serious playing time as Broncos and wasted it. Most of them saw the field on a limited basis and did well enough. Some got put into larger roles, but they were part of a position that failed to step up. It wasn’t like these ex-Saints kept developing Broncos from seeing the field.

Pros: Scheme Assimilation & Coaching Standards

A team like the Broncos needs players like that who can help bring their teammates up to speed on the new head coach's playbook. Payton's is a complicated scheme, and having players familiar with it helps to ensure all the coaching and teaching sink in. They can answer questions and provide insight that you can’t get from guys who haven't played for Payton before.

The same can be said of coaches. They know Payton's standards and what he wants his players to learn. When the coaches are familiar with Payton, they can help players develop faster, especially for the offense.

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Con: The One Risk

As you can see, having ex-Saints comes with a lot of benefits. Still, it can become detrimental if and when Payton starts allowing players with familiarity to impede the development of young Broncos or familiar coaches not being held accountable when they aren’t getting results.

Neither situation has happened yet, but the Broncos could be fast-approaching circumstances where they start crossing those lines. One situation to watch is with Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb — not only this offseason but next. Webb will likely be a popular name in the following hiring cycle.

So, if the Broncos want to bring in former Saints players like Taysom Hill, Payton Turner, Juwan Johnson, Marcus Davenport, or one of the many others, it's fine. With players, it also depends on the contract, but these guys know what it takes to play for Payton and they all could help the Broncos.

The Takeaway

Despite the ubiquitous social media comments, hiring Rizzi shouldn’t be frowned upon by fans just because he coached under Payton with the Saints. Rizzi is one of the best special teams coaches in the NFL, and he has a consistent track record of success with his units.

Rizzi was coveted for special teams coordinator jobs around the NFL and was in the running to be the head coach for the Saints. Payton hired a great coach who happens to have worked for him before.

So far, Payton's method of getting the band back together has worked in Denver. Time will tell if any other former Saints players join the Broncos in 2025 and how that would impact the roster and the team's outlook.

Pro: Culture Change

Pros: Scheme Assimilation & Coaching Standards

Con: The One Risk

The Takeaway

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