Breaking Down the Rumors Around Sean Payton Giving Up Play-Calling

With Davis Webb promoted to offensive coordinator, is Sean Payton really about to relinquish play-calling duties?

Dec 14, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton stands on the sidelines during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Since the Denver Broncos' season came to an end, there have been questions about whether head coach Sean Payton will continue as the team's offensive play-caller. The reasons the Broncos' play-calling duties have come into question are a combination of how the season ended, Payton's in-game decision-making, and the promotion of Davis Webb to offensive coordinator.

Since becoming a head coach in 2006, none of Payton's offensive coordinators have ever called the plays. And yet, before the Buffalo Bills hired Joe Brady as their new head coach, Payton purportedly wanted him as his new OC in Denver and was at least open to relinquishing the play-calling to him.

The Brady rumor is the true impetus for the play-calling speculation. If Payton was willing to hand over play-calling to Brady, then that must be where his head is at, or so goes the school of thought. I couldn't disagree more.

However, Ben DiNucci, who has two stints as a Broncos quarterback under Payton, sees the play-calling shifting to Webb since he was made the new OC, replacing the fired Joe Lombardi.

"Davis promoted to OC is [the] best thing possible for that building… have to assume Sean is going to give up play calling now," DiNucci posted on X on Tuesday.

The Broncos allowed DiNucci's practice squad contract to expire, which makes him a free agent. But he knows Payton and Webb well. DiNucci is not only excited about the outlook for the Broncos' offense with Webb as OC, but he also assumes it signals a passing of the play-calling torch.

Again, I have my doubts. Payton has been a play-calling head coach for the better part of two decades now. He's considered one of the best offensive minds of the 21st century, but he's being spoken about of late as if he's some trogolodyte living in the stone age.

Garrett Hopes Payton Remains the Play-Caller

Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, who also played quarterback for Payton when he was offensive coordinator of the New York Giants from 2000-02, hopes that his former coach doesn't relinquish play-calling duties.

“I hope he doesn’t, because he’s a great play-caller. He’s one of the best play-callers of his generation in the NFL. He's done such an amazing job in Denver, in New Orleans before that," Garrett told Luca Evans of The Denver Post. "I just think he's great at what he does."

Garrett, now an NBC Sports analyst, made himself available during Super Bowl week, and Evans saw an opportunity to connect some Payton dots. Kudos to Evans.

Now, if Payton were of a mind to step away from the play-calling, Webb would be set up to take the reins. And, according to Garrett, Payton would do everything within his power to set Webb up for success were he to pass the torch.

"I know that if he ever were to step away from it, he'd create a great environment for the next guy. In that case, it would probably be Davis Webb. Sean's fantastic. He's done an amazing job," Garrett said via Evans. "Just that ability to be such a strong head coach, as well as being such a strong offensive coordinator and play-caller, so he's able to build the whole team, understand what it's like to lead the organization, but then also, dig into that role, a very specific role, of calling plays on Sunday. I think he's great at it. If he chooses not to do it anymore, it just should be because he's wanting to pass the torch because, whoever does it, those are big shoes to fill."

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Why Take the Risk?

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 04: Denver Head Coach, Sean Payton and Bo Nix 10 of the Denver Broncos, discuss a play during a game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, CO on January 04, 2026. | Kevin Langley / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

On one hand, Payton giving up play-calling duties would be a bit of a risk. The Broncos' offense has made great strides with Bo Nix at quarterback over the past two years, and Payton would want to ensure that nothing would interrupt that momentum.

On the other, if Payton did give Webb the play-calling duties and it backfired or didn't pan out, he could always take back the reins at any point. That minimizes the risk.

There is Webb's relative inexperience as an NFL play-caller to consider. Payton perhaps being willing to give Brady the play-calling duties if he had joined the Broncos as offensive coordinator would make some sense. Brady is now very experienced and is considered one of the NFL's best.

Just three years into his NFL coaching career, Webb is completely unproven. His only experience is calling some preseason plays for Payton.

I don't believe that Payton would give up play-calling duties just to make Webb happy, either. If Payton believes the best thing for his team is him calling the plays, he would not change that up for anyone.

Payton's Play-Calling Goes Under the Microscope

Payton's play-calling came into focus in the Broncos' 10-7 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game when he opted to go for it on a fateful 4th-&-1 in the second quarter. Instead of kicking a field goal, Payton called a botched pass play that was blown up by the Patriots.

Payton was critical of himself afterward, not for deciding to go for it on fourth down with Jarrett Stidham as his quarterback, but for the play he went with instead of a run design he'd originally had dialed up before a timeout. Payton was heavily criticized for not taking the points when the Broncos knew that the weather forecast expected snow in the second half, which meant that points would be hard to come by.

The three-point margin by which the Broncos lost to New England only makes the decision to forego the points sting more.

"I don't know which is the greater regret—the decision, certainly the play call," Payton said last Tuesday during his end-of-season presser. "I think probably what irks me more is the call more than the decision. It's still early in the game. Now we knew there were going to be flurries. Well we have a new feel for flurries here, or what can change at the base of the mountain. There are those moments that you wish you had back.”

Welcome to the weather in the Rocky Mountains, coach.

Payton lamented the play he called, but not the decision to go for it on fourth down. Just a few days later, the report broke that Payton wanted Brady as his OC with play-calling duties.

Then Webb gets named the new offensive coordinator and the rumors and speculation have been rampant. At the end of the day, Webb's ascension to the OC role spells good things for the Broncos, even if he doesn't become the play-caller.

Beware Fiddling With a Good Thing

The Broncos can have the best of both worlds with Payton as the play-caller and Webb as the OC helping to put plays into the game plan each week. Remember, when the Broncos first hired Payton, Hall-of-Fame head coach Dick Vermeil called him one of two top offensive coaches of the decade, along with Andy Reid.

"I have tremendous respect for him," Vermeil said of Payton back in 2023. "To me, he and Andy Reid are the offensive coaches of the decade."

Look how far the Broncos have gotten over the past two years. With a rookie quarterback, the Broncos finished as a top-10 scoring offense in 2024. They were a better rushing offense in 2025, up until starting running back J.K. Dobbins was lost for the season in Week 10.

Whether he gives up play-calling or not, Payton needs to figure out how to scheme up better rushing consistency on a down-to-down basis. But Nix's stock is sky-high entering Year 3, even coming off his fractured ankle.

The Broncos would be wise not to mess too much with a good thing. And they definitely have a good thing going, having won 14 games (tying a single-season franchise record), the AFC West crown, their first playoff win since 2015, and the No. 1 seed.

The Broncos were one injury away from the Super Bowl. Let's face it: if Nix is healthy for the AFC title game, the Broncos are likely in Santa Clara this week.

The Takeaway

So, word to the wise: be careful what you wish for. That's not a slight to Webb, but it's a warning all the same. Payton has his warts, but he's one of the most coveted and respected offensive coaches in the NFL.

Any offensive coach who's even stopped for a cup of coffee with Payton in Denver is getting big opportunties around the NFL. Brady springs off the Payton coaching tree, as does Declan Doyle in Baltimore and Brady's new OC, Pete Carmichael.

Heck, why do you suppose Webb was even being considered for head-coaching vacancies this time around? It was because of his association with Payton, Nix, and the Broncos' turnaround over the past two years.

My educated guess is that Payton will give up the play-calling duties when someone pries the sheet from his cold, dead hands. This isn't a tough decision; there's no reason to mess with a good thing.