For the second time this century, a serious tradition change is underway inside the Broncos’ group. Like Peyton Manning over a decade earlier, Sean Payton arrives in Denver with the hope of serving to the Broncos return to their championship-winning methods.
The twentieth head coach in Broncos historical past, Payton’s aim is to grow to be the third Denver coach to guide the franchise to a Super Bowl win. To do this, Payton intends to put down a firmer, harder tradition that can undoubtedly weed out the gamers who will not match into that tradition.
“There is a component of self-discipline,” Payton mentioned, by way of ESPN’s Jeff Legwold. “There is a component of toughness, and look, it is not for everybody.”
Payton’s resume means that he is aware of a factor or two about constructing a championship tradition. In 2006, he took over a perennially unhealthy Saints crew and instantly took them to an NFC title recreation. Payton did so after convincing then-free agent quarterback Drew Brees to return to New Orleans as an alternative of Miami, who was additionally courting him.
Payton and Brees made historical past by serving to deliver the primary Lombardi Trophy to New Orleans on the finish of the 2009 season. They turned one of the prolific and profitable coach-quarterback duos league historical past throughout their decade and a half run with the Saints.
When requested about his new quarterback, veteran Russell Wilson, Payton was inspired by how Wilson ended his first season in Denver. Payton mentioned that Wilson’s six touchdowns in the course of the season’s last two video games is “somewhat extra of what we had been anticipating, what we would grow to be accustomed to.”
While Payton feels that there’s nonetheless good soccer left in Wilson, he did allude to modifications relating to Wilson’s day-to-day operation inside the crew facility. Payton shut down the notion of Wilson — or any participant — working with coaches and different coaches/trainers that aren’t affiliated with the crew’s workers.
“I’m not too accustomed to that,” Payton mentioned. “That’s international to me. That’s not going to happen … Our workers will likely be right here, our gamers will likely be right here and that will likely be it.”
Wilson in all probability favored what Payton mentioned relating to the way forward for the offense somewhat bit extra. Instead of being married to a selected system, Payton desires Wilson to have the chance to attempt to do the issues that helped make him a perennial Pro Bowl participant throughout his run with Seattle. That doubtless means matching the personnel and offensive scheme to suit the strengths and weaknesses of the quarterback.
“None of us wish to be at a karaoke bar with a tune we do not know the phrases to,” Payton mentioned relating to Wilson and the offense.
While it could not have been meant to be a dig at Nathaniel Hackett, Payton’s feedback relating to in-game clock administration has already begun making the rounds on social media as a perceived jab on the man Payton is changing. Payton was particularly requested about what he has realized over time relating to the dealing with of clock administration, which was one space of the job that Hackett notoriously struggled with.
“I do not anticipate the gang having to depend down the 30-second clock,” Payton mentioned.
Payton, who signed a five-year cope with the Broncos, mentioned that emotions of being burnt out, the COVID-19 pandemic and well being had been among the many principal explanation why he took a 12 months off from teaching. Now that he is again in teaching, Payton mentioned that he can see himself mimicking his outdated mentor Bill Parcells as somebody who constructed a legacy with a number of franchises.
Speaking of legacy, Payton is aspiring to do one thing that Parcells got here near however was unable to realize throughout his Hall of Fame profession.
“No coach has ever gained a Super Bowl with two completely different groups,” he mentioned, by way of Mike Klis of 9News. “Here we’re in 2023; it is by no means occurred. A number of coaches have gone to Super Bowls with two groups … however nobody has gained a Super Bowl with two completely different groups. I like these form of issues.”
If that occurs, Payton will shut the bridge between the Broncos’ final championship period, an period that was led Manning, the primary beginning quarterback to guide a number of groups to Super Bowl glory.
