Why Sean Payton 'Temporarily' Wanted Bill Belichick as Broncos HC

Payton had a grand plan. Until he didn't.

May 31, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick speaks to the media at the team s OTA at Gillette Stadium. CSM Foxborough USA - ZUMAc04_ 20220531_zaf_c04_010 Copyright: xEricxCanhax | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

On Tuesday, ESPN columnist Seth Wickersham published a new piece on Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, whom he profiled throughout the team's 2025 postseason run — from the Divisional Round upset of the Bills through the AFC Championship loss to New England.

It's a highly visceral read that peels back the layers on Payton's modus operandi as Denver's head man. Including a proposal to "temporarily" step down from that very role.

According to Wickersham, Payton "considered" suggesting to Broncos CEO Greg Penner that Bill Belichick should be hired as the team's coach in 2024, only long enough for Belichick to break the all-time NFL wins record.

"His friend Bill Belichick sent him bullet points that he used to give to his Patriots teams. Payton and Belichick go back decades, forged by mutual respect -- and mutual trauma from working under Parcells," Wickersham wrote. "When Belichick and the Patriots divorced in 2024, Payton considered presenting Broncos owner Greg Penner a proposal for the ages: Hire Belichick as head coach until he reached 15 wins, enough to break Don Shula's career record of 347. Payton would temporarily step down to assistant head coach and run the offense, then move back after Belichick became the all-time leader. In the end, it was too complicated -- and maybe too fanciful."

Obviously, the plan never went beyond hypotheticals. Payton remained in full control for the 2024 season, leading the Broncos to their first playoff appearance in nearly a decade while his hand-picked, then-rookie quarterback Bo Nix set several league and franchise records.

Belichick went on to become the head football coach at the University of North Carolina — and the wheels that could've possibly brought him to the Mile High City presumably never spun again.

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 04: Denver Head Coach, Sean Payton on the sidelines 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. (Photo by Kevin Langley Icon Sportswire) NFL, American Football Herren, USA JAN 04 Chargers at Broncos EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon202601013 | Kevin Langley / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire.

Probably for the Best ...

From the tone of the blurb, combined with his long-held respect for mentors like Belichick and Bill Parcells, Payton's heart was likely in the right place when he dreamed up a scenario where arguably the greatest coach of all-time was roaming Denver's sidelines. It certainly would've been a story fit for Hollywood.

In reality, however, and with the benefit of hindsight, those responsible for nixing the decision ultimately made an excellent call as Payton's Broncos won the AFC West and earned the conference's top seed — a QB injury away from making, and potentially winning, the Super Bowl.

For the first time since the Peyton Manning era, the future has not looked brighter for the orange and blue. And it's fair to argue whether it would've been a bit dimmer had Belichick gripped the reins.

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