Former SB-Winning HC Tony Dungy Makes Bold Claim About Broncos

As many media pundits doubt the 10-win Denver Broncos, Tony Dungy weighed in with an eye-opening claim.

Nov 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with quarterback Bo Nix (10) during the second half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos' succession of narrow victories this season has divided opinions in the NFL world. The Broncos have won nine in a row and are 8-2 in one-score games this season, but people are still looking for some definitive proof that this is a bona fide contender.

We've seen a plethora of high-profile national pundits and outlets cast doubt over how legit the Broncos truly are, but don't count legendary former Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy among them.

"They're the best in the AFC right now. Outstanding defense and they're clutch on offense," Dungy said during the Sunday Night Football television broadcast. "The defense feels like all they have to do is keep it close, and Bo Nix will win it for us. They used to say that about [Patrick] Mahomes in Kansas City." 

We saw it unfold in similar fashion on Sunday night. While the Broncos' defense did relinquish some late fourth-quarter points to the Washington Commanders to force the game, Nix drove right down the field in overtime to put a touchdown on the board when it matter most.

Ironically enough, Dungy made his comments prior to Sean Payton's ever-resilient team defeating the Commanders in overtime. Because the Broncos only defeated the three-win Commanders by one point and in overtime, the media vultures are still circling. 

While the Broncos probably aren't going to win any popularity contests for the way they often brutally outlast teams, the fact is, they're winning all these games. Payton knows that carving out a season of double-digit wins and vying for the No. 1 playoff seed hinges on the coaching staff making incremental improvements as the campaign marches on. 

What happens next for the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Penalty Progress

Sep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with with side judge Boris Cheek (41) and line judge Mark Steinkerchner (84) in the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Broncos cut their penalties in half against the Commanders, finishing with just five on the night, down from nearly nine per game they averaged before the bye. Figuring out how to minimize the penalty plague was one of Payton's focuses during the Broncos' Week 12 bye.

“Listen, I’ve been reading where... It can get cleaned up, and last night was a step in the right direction," Payton said on Monday morning. "So [we will] continue to work, post those numbers, talk about the ones that are the pre-snap or post-snap behavior fouls or the ones that... There are going to be some technique penalties that occurred during the play. We get that. We still want to work on correcting that, but certainly we’re trying to erase that tattoo.” 

Payton's comments reveal that he's well aware of what the outside voices have been saying about the Broncos. He's paying attention to the narrative and looking for ways to improve his team's vulnerabilities.

Against Dan Quinn's Commanders, Payton saw things on the defensive side that he worries could leave scabs the Broncos' upcoming opponents can pick at. How the Broncos fared against Washington's dual-threat quarterback, Marcus Mariota, is a particular concern.

"Yeah, two things, when and we're the same, but when the quarterback can extend, it becomes tougher when you're in some of those zones," Payton said. "So, we'll look at it. We talked about it just five minutes ago. You know, all the things that we've got to make sure that we're cleaning up and getting better so it doesn't bite us later. But everyone fought. It was good." 

Ultimately, the tradecraft between his coaching counterparts on the opposing sidelines will only ramp up as the Broncos head into the stretch run. Payton is quick to acknowledge that his defense being exposed on some longer passes by Mariota was bothersome, but not terminal. 

"I think it starts with the opponents' ability to run," Payton said. "They're a run-first team, so you're wanting to stop that. Look, they get paid too and had some designs. A lot of those throws were in the deep look areas, if you will, off of play-action. That's part of the tough part of defending that offense. In the end, we did enough." 

In general terms, the Broncos are happy with what they've accomplished up to this point, irrespective of what certain media folks have been saying about them. Having said that, the future remains unwritten.