Bill Cowher Struck a Nerve & Sean Payton Took it Out on Chiefs

Bo Nix might not be listening to the outside noise, but Sean Payton certainly was ahead of the Denver Broncos' pivotal win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Nov 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton on the sidelines during the first quarter of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix blocked out the outside noise and the shade that was being thrown at him for two weeks by deleting his social media accounts. Even so, the corrosive drip, drip, drip of negativity has been building up around the Broncos.  

But after beating the Kansas City Chiefs 22-19 on Sunday, a tsunami of "we told you so" comments flooded out of the Broncos' locker room with righteous indignation. 

Head coach Sean Payton explained that when CBS Sports pundit and Hall of Fame head coach Bill Cowher suggested the Broncos were "playing with house money" vs. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, it made him double down on being aggressive. Payton addressed all the pre-game noise at the podium after defeating the Chiefs.

“That was significant—just the intensity. We talked about [it] all week, being in a position where, and I heard Bill Cowher in the pregame show was saying that, ‘Hey, we’re playing with house money.’ I was like, ‘Shh, be quiet because we approached that game like this team had nothing to lose in that game; that team we were playing was playing for a lot," Payton said. "I wanted to make sure we were aggressive. We were going to take the ball if we won the toss. Well, we didn’t win the toss, but we got the ball. We were playing in a game where the pressure was on them, and our guys responded, well.” 

"This is a game to me, you're playing with house money."@CowherCBS on the Broncos today vs the Chiefs. pic.twitter.com/IfHNhhQYhy

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 16, 2025

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Harnessing the Noise

Bulletin board material wasn't in short supply for Payton during the buildup to facing a Chiefs outfit that has run roughshod over the AFC West for nine straight years. And Payton has always been savvy at using such material as spiritual fuel for his team.

While some might suggest there was a seismic changing of the guard within the division when Wil Lutz kicked the game-winning field goal, Broncos' veteran left tackle Garett Bolles was content to circle the wagons and thumb his nose at the critics. 

"Well, what's the country going to say now? They can't say anything," Bolles told 9NEWS' Scotty Gange post-game. "So, our record speaks for itself. The guys in this room know who we are, and the only people that we care about is the people in this building. Through our owners, through our coaches, through our front office to the players. Proud of this team. A bunch of fighters. And, if nobody else believes in us, we're the only ones that care that believe in us. So, everybody else can think what they want." 

Having faith in themselves is something the Broncos have gotten down pat, but the struggling offensive performances of late were always going to leave them open to the type of criticism they've garnered in some quarters. It's the fundamental job description of a quarterback to take things on the chin and do his talking out on the field where it really counts.

Nix, the Philosopher

Nov 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) prior to the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Broncos tight end called Nix's bitter critics "cowards" after Sunday's big win, illustrating perhaps how the second-year quarterback's teammates have felt about the noise. After outperforming Mahomes when the pressure was on, Nix waxed a bit more philosophical than his trusty tight end.

“Yes, and people are always entitled to their opinions. They’re always going to say what they think, and that’s also what makes our country great," Nix said after the win. "At the end of the day, you've just got to block it out. You can’t involve yourself with what’s outside the building because if you do, it’ll just bog you down, get you distracted, and you start worrying about things you shouldn’t be worrying about. Everybody’s always going to say something. For some reason, we’re always going to be talked down upon and that’s okay.” 

Unflinching accountability and undying belief in themselves are two hallmarks of the 2025 Broncos. Both factors have propelled the Broncos into a very timely bye week, riding a league-best eight-game winning streak, and with their boot heel firmly on the throat of the entire division.

A Bittersweet Football Lesson

Ultimately, only the harsh lessons Payton and company learned from striving to get the heavy Chiefs monkey off their backs mattered. At the end of the day, it was tinged with bittersweet irony, especially with how the Broncos' heartbreaking loss at Arrowhead Stadium last season unfolded with the blocked Lutz field-goal attempt. 

Since that gut-punch of a loss, the Broncos are 14-4 in the regular season.

"Listen, there are either wins or losses, but the response after that game last year with the blocked field goal was super. There was some irony, obviously, when we were taking a knee to kick the field goal," Payton said. "But I think that the confidence thing that we always talk about exists in that locker room with this group of guys. It’s special. They’ll have some time to recover and then get ready for that next stretch of six games. I think we’re three home [and] three away, if I’m not mistaken.” 

The Takeaway

The Broncos now hit the bye week, so that alone would have likely quieted the outside noise a bit, but in tandem with defeating a desperate Chiefs team, it should be relative crickets around Dove Valley for the next two weeks.