Dec 24, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with quarterback Russell Wilson (3) before the game against the New England Patriots at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Sean Payton: ‘Not privy’ to Broncos’ contract talks with Russell Wilson

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, who was sent to the bench this week, believes the move was brewing for two months due to his refusal to restructure his contract.

Broncos coach Sean Payton, meanwhile, insists that his change of signal-caller was strictly a football decision.

Wilson said Friday that team officials approached him with an ultimatum shortly the Broncos’ 24-9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 29.

“We beat the Chiefs,” Wilson said. “They came up to me during the bye week and beginning of the bye week, Monday or Tuesday, they told me if I didn’t change my contract, my injury guarantee, that I’d be benched the rest of the year.

“I was definitely disappointed about it. It was a process for the whole bye week. We had just come off beating the Chiefs, I was excited for us fighting for the playoffs and getting on a hot streak. The NFLPA and NFL got involved or whatever at some point.”

Wilson is assured of receiving $39 million next season regardless of whether he is still with the Broncos. Should he be unable to pass a physical next March, his 2025 pay of $37 million would be guaranteed, too.

“I wasn’t going to remove or push or take away my injury guarantee,” Wilson said. “This game is such a physical game. I’ve played 12 years. That matters to me.”

General manager George Paton and owner/CEO Greg Penner did not speak to the media on Friday, and Payton directed questions about Wilson’s contract to them.

“I’m not privy to any of those (discussions),” the coach said. “I’m handling the football. I know this. The No. 1 reason for taking this job for me was ownership and winning. Certainly, the tradition here mattered, relative to being at a place where it’s important, but that’s something George and the front office — I’m not involved in any of that. …

“My focus has been on winning, and I am going to go back to what I said at the beginning of the week. I know how this has been written, but this decision strictly is what I believe gives us a chance to win.”

Jarrett Stidham will take over under center on Sunday against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers as the Broncos (7-8) try to snap a slump that has seen them lose three of the past four games.

“He’s had a good week,” Payton said of Stidham. “I think he was sharp this week.”

Wilson is still shooting to regain his job.

“I want to be able to play, I want to be able to help this team win,” he said. “I know every time I step on the field it’s a physical game. I never play timid. I never play scared.”

–Field Level Media

Dec 24, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with quarterback Russell Wilson (3) before the game against the New England Patriots at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Sean Payton laments Broncos’ ‘self-inflicted problems’

Coach Sean Payton was ready to call a spade a spade two days after the Denver Broncos’ playoff hopes took a mighty hit in a 26-23 home loss to the New England Patriots.

Yes, the final tally wasn’t ugly on the scoreboard. But the Broncos had to stage a furious rally from being down 23-7 to begin the fourth quarter. They ultimately tied the game before Patriots rookie kicker Chad Ryland drilled a 56-yard field goal to provide the winning margin.

The Broncos were heavy favorites against the Patriots, who arrived in Denver with a 3-11 record. But a pair of lost fumbles were just part of a bevvy of issues for the Broncos’ offense.

Quarterback Russell Wilson fumbled twice, although Denver recovered both. He was also sacked five times and hit numerous others as Denver managed only three points until the fourth quarter after scoring a touchdown on their third possession of the game.

“So many times, when we look at some of that stuff, it’s self-inflicted problems,” Payton said Tuesday. “That has to get cleaned up. That’s communication.

“Is there too much in (the gameplan)? Right now, we’re average to below average in a lot of things offensively, and it’s not good enough.”

Denver is 25th in the NFL in total offense and passing offense and 14th in rushing yards per game. The Broncos are a respectable 16th in points per game at 21.8 and have a plus-4 turnover margin.

After a 1-5 start, Denver strung together a five-game winning streak to get into the thick of the playoff picture. However, the hopes are slim at best after dropping three of the past four games to fall to 7-8.

“We were protecting the ball better,” Payton said when asked to assess what the team was doing better during the winning streak. “It’s out all the time now, meaning it was out the other day. We’re lucky we only had two turnovers.”

After stalling out for the better part of three quarters against the Patriots, the Broncos’ offense got rolling in the fourth quarter. Wilson threw a pair of touchdown passes and converted two-point conversions after each one.

However, Payton was honest in his assessment that it was due largely to playing in a hurry-up, spread attack while staging the late rally.

“We were in a stage of the game where we weren’t in hurry-up two-minute, but we certainly were up-tempo. A lot of it was empty with no (running) back, and we made some plays,” he said. “It’s hard to say you’re going to make a living that way as your base offense.”

The upset defeat to New England has forced Payton to adjust his goals for the final two games of the regular season. The Broncos face the Los Angeles Chargers at home, where they are 4-4 this season, before closing out at the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 18.

Is Payton discussing the playoff picture with his team?

“The way it’s covered, I don’t think I have to discuss it,” he said. “The message is going to be about winning this game — our last home game. We haven’t played well at home, or at least to the expectations certainly from Broncos fans and then from my experience of playing at home. This is our last opportunity to play a home game, and it’s going to be about getting this win.

“It’s going to be that short-sighted if you will. The next seven days, and then kind of go from there.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 12, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (10) warms up against the Kansas City Chiefs prior to a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Payton: Broncos didn’t shop ‘dynamic’ Jerry Jeudy

The Denver Broncos have parted with several veteran players during the course of their 3-5 start to the 2023 season, but coach Sean Payton said there was no effort to move wide receiver Jerry Jeudy ahead of last week’s trade deadline.

The Broncos upset the Chiefs 24-9 at home for their third win in five games before heading into last week’s bye. There was speculation that the embattled fourth-year wide receiver could be targeted by several contenders, but the deadline came and went with Jeudy still a Bronco.

“He’s an important part and an important piece of what we’re doing,” Payton said Monday. “Shoot, he’s a guy that we think is dynamic. Sometimes it’s a fickle game in that all of a sudden, we’re into the fifth week of the season and Brandon Johnson has three touchdowns and Jerry doesn’t have one. Sometimes that’s the nature of the passing game, but each week, there’s a lot that goes into what we’re game planning.

“He played extremely well last week, and we think he is going to be very important for us going forward.”

Jeudy, 24, was a first-round pick out of Alabama in 2020 but has yet to meet lofty expectations. Denver picked up his fifth-year option after Jeudy caught a career-high 67 passes last year, but he has only 27 receptions for 336 yards and that lone touchdown through seven games this season.

However, Payton sees progress in the offense as a whole and Jeudy as part of the solution rather than part of the problem in Denver’s slow start.

Jeudy is due to make $12.987 million in 2024 in the final year of his rookie deal. That made him a potentially attractive target for teams, but Payton wasn’t picking up the phone to deal another veteran after the team had recently parted ways with pass rushers Randy Gregory and Frank Clark.

“I don’t think my words prior to the trade deadline were ever, ‘Hey, we’re staying pat.’ It was, ‘we’re not the ones to be interviewed. Go ask the people that are purchasing,’” Payton said. “We kind of went through this in the offseason with a handful of players, and understandably so. In other words, I get it. It’s harder for us to be the ones speaking on topics like that when we’re not the ones that are involved in initiating any of the contact.”

Payton sees improvement in the offense as a whole. That includes quarterback Russell Wilson, who is still getting comfortable in his third offensive system in three years.

Wilson, who will turn 35 on Nov. 29, has thrown for 1,613 yards with 16 touchdown passes against four interceptions. He is also on pace to be sacked 55 times, which would equal his career high from last season.

“The things we’ve seen that I’ve been encouraged with are the off-schedule plays. He does a great job of working the pocket, climbing the pocket,” Payton said when asked to assess Wilson’s play through eight games. “Then, continuing to look at reducing the turnovers, managing the game the right way and understanding who we’re playing and how we’re playing it — all of those things.

“Every day he’s working at it and working his tail off at it. There are a lot of things that we’ve been impressed with and that he’s doing very well. There are some things that, obviously, he wants to improve on, and collectively, that we want to (improve on) offensively.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 17, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with quarterback Russell Wilson (3) in the fourth quarter against the Washington Commanders at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Broncos’ Sean Payton: Have to ‘throw it better to win’

Denver ranks 20th in the NFL averaging 200.3 passing yards per game, despite the 1-5 Broncos playing from behind in each of their first six games this season — often by multiple scores.

“We’ve got to be able to throw it better to win in this league,” coach Sean Payton said Monday, four days after the Broncos managed only a fourth-quarter touchdown in a 19-8 loss to Kansas City.

Payton was quick to add that his analysis “wasn’t directed at any one player,” but quarterback Russell Wilson is 28th in the NFL with a 39.7 total quarterback rating while completing 59.1 percent of his passes.

Wilson has generally protected the football but is coming off a two-interception performance against the Chiefs and has averaged just 145.5 passing yards over the past two weeks while being sacked eight times.

Denver has scored an average of 7.6 points in the second halves of their five losses.

“It’s been a handful (of things). It’s hard to point to one specifically,” Payton said when asked to assess the passing game struggles. “You want to have confidence in the pocket, and we need to find ways to get guys open. Typically speaking, that has to happen efficiently on early downs. It can’t be just on third down.”

Courtland Sutton leads the Broncos with 37 catches for 275 yards and four touchdowns.

However, fellow wide receiver Jerry Jeudy has yet to reach the end zone while catching 29 passes for 222 yards — an average of just 44.4 in the five games he has played. The 2020 first-round pick has not topped 52 yards in the past three games.

Jeudy has been criticized by multiple NFL analysts this season while rumors continue to persist that he could be moved ahead of the trade deadline. Denver has already parted ways with veteran pass rushers Randy Gregory and Frank Clark in recent weeks.

“He’s frustrated, I’m sure,” Payton said. “He’s a talented player. We need to continue to look for ways to get him throws — not only in the slot, but outside.

“The other stuff, I don’t try to keep track of as long as it’s not a distraction to what we’re doing as a team. That being said, he’s very competitive, he’s smart and he’s a playmaker for us. We have to continue to look for ways to put him in positions to make plays.”

The Broncos do have a pair of home games against Green Bay on Sunday and Kansas City in Week 8 ahead of the Oct. 31 trade deadline.

“The focus is on the schedule and winning the next week,” Payton said. “Certainly, every year when this time comes, there’s speculation. People call, and people call teams that aren’t playing well or are struggling to see if they’re interested in moving players. That would be the only thing.

“It doesn’t require a four-day summit relative to what the plan is. (General Manager) George (Paton) would bring any information to (Owner/CEO) Greg (Penner) and myself. But right now, our focus is on playing Green Bay.”

One player who figures to still be in Denver come November is Wilson, whose contract makes it infeasible to trade him — performance notwithstanding.

However, his future in Denver will be a major discussion point ahead of a critical decision the franchise needs to make in five months.

Wilson’s contract calls for a $37 million base salary in 2025. It’s already guaranteed against injury but becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2024 league year in March. The Broncos would have to trade or release Wilson before then, which would then bring a $10 million cap charge for next year.

While Denver could be facing $85 million in total dead money across the 2024-25 seasons, Wilson’s total $39 million due next year is already guaranteed. According to an NBC Sports report last week, the Broncos could incur $37 million less in cash payments and $5.4 less in cap charges by cutting Wilson next offseason.

–Field Level Media

Dec 25, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett reacts in the first half against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Jets OC Nathaniel Hackett in spotlight before game vs. Broncos

An interview given back in July continues to resonate ahead of the Denver Broncos’ Sunday home game against the New York Jets.

New Broncos head coach Sean Payton spoke with USA Today in the summer, ripping the job done last year by his predecessor, Nathaniel Hackett. Denver posted a 4-11 record during Hackett’s brief tenure in charge, and Payton said that he could get more out of quarterback Russell Wilson than Hackett did.

Hackett is now the Jets’ offensive coordinator, and his new team hasn’t forgotten the slight.

“It definitely feels like an entire organization threw him under the bus, from the firing in the first place and then those comments,” New York center Connor McGovern, a former Bronco, said on Thursday, according to the New York Post. “It’s not an easy job, and Hack’s such a great guy.

“I personally don’t need any extra motivation to go win a football game, but you definitely have your guy’s back, and want to do everything you can to make sure that you have Hack’s back.

“Anything you can do, if you feel like you need to do extra then do that, ’cause a guy like Hack you want to go fight for.”

While Payton walked back his criticism of Hackett days after the interview was published, Hackett acknowledged on Thursday that Payton has yet to speak directly with him.

Hackett added, “This game is about those guys out on the field. It’s not about me. Gotta go win a football game.”

The Jets enter the contest with a 1-3 record, having lost three in a row since quarterback Aaron Rodgers went down with a season-ending Achilles injury in the opener. The Broncos (1-3) ended a three-game skid by overcoming a 21-point, second-half deficit to beat the Chicago Bears last week.

–Field Level Media

Sep 24, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA;  Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert (31) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Denver Broncos in the third quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Further review: Broncos find replay of 50-point loss ‘not any fun’

Broncos coach Sean Payton watched the film of the 70-20 loss at Miami and it was worse than he remembered.

“It’s a tough film to watch,” he said Monday, adding he considered not showing the team the replay. “We’d be remiss if we didn’t. As unpleasant as it’s going to be, we’ve got to get these things cleaned up.”

Opponents are averaging 7.2 yards per play against the Broncos. Denver has allowed 122 points in three games.

The Dolphins scored at least 14 points in all four quarters with 30 first downs, 350 rushing yards and 376 passing yards.

“It was a tough day. Today’s not going to be fun. It probably won’t be fun anytime soon until we start winning some games,” Payton said.

“One of the things we preach about finding tough, smart players — it’s not just for three hours on gameday.”

Payton said he was impressed with special teams and felt the Broncos, who had a return for a touchdown, can build on that one bright spot. There weren’t many others.

“There’s a handful of things that jump out at you,” Payton said Monday. “Three offensive turnovers all lead to touchdowns — that’s 21 points. Typically speaking, when you see a score that high, the one thing that has to exist is turnovers. We did a poor job of setting the edge on defense. We struggled taking away some of the things we knew he likes to throw. Offensively, we had two touchdowns called back due to penalties.”

Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has taken heavy public criticism but Payton said he’s not planning changes to his coaching staff and, if he does, he won’t share the details on a conference call.

“No. 1, attention to detail to what we’re doing in practice has to improve,” Payton said. “This is one of those weeks, where you take a butt-whipping like that where you find out a lot about everyone.”

The Broncos will visit the Chicago Bears in a match of winless teams on Sunday.

–Field Level Media

Sep 17, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with quarterback Russell Wilson (3) in the fourth quarter against the Washington Commanders at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Sean Payton: Broncos must learn ‘how not to lose games’

Sean Payton declined to share his message to his players a day after the Denver Broncos fell to 0-2 on Sunday.

But the first-year Broncos coach did have a few key numbers in mind after reviewing the film from a 35-33 loss against the Washington Commanders in a game Denver led 21-3.

“There are some things that stand out right now, and before you talk about how to win games, you also have to understand how not to lose games,” Payton said Monday. “We’re currently tied for a league-high 19 penalties. We lead the league defensively with defensive fouls called, with 12. Five personal fouls.

“We have a number of plays where we’re off the field on third down, but there’s a flag on the turf, there’s holding or defensive pass interference, which makes it an automatic first down. Instead of being off the field, those are turnover penalties. We have to be better and more disciplined in that area, and that starts with us as coaches.”

Denver also led in its season opener at home against Las Vegas, but a 16-10 fourth-quarter lead turned into a one-point loss when the Raiders scored a touchdown with 6:34 remaining and the Broncos went three-and-out on their final possession.

They have now lost two home games by a combined three points, but they were far different setbacks in nature.

Denver was in firm control of Sunday’s game until the offense went into neutral. Up 21-3 in the second quarter, the Broncos managed only a pair of field goals until quarterback Russell Wilson completed a 50-yard Hail Mary pass to Brandon Johnson at the end of regulation.

The ensuing two-point conversion failed.

“Those two games were entirely different. There’s nothing that I would go look at and be able to say tangibly, ‘Hey, this is …’” Payton said. “Forget first half, second half, or whatever the script or narrative is. I thought yesterday, the momentum shifted in that game midway through the second quarter.”

After the Broncos built a 21-3 lead, their next four offensive possessions combined to produce 13 plays and ended with a fumble, an interception and a pair of punts. Meanwhile, the Commanders crawled back to tie the game during that span.

“Our kicking game was outstanding. We got a big punt return. We have it on their end of the field, and we’re already up 21-3. At that point, we go backwards with the penalties, then we turn the ball over,” Payton said. “The next chain of events, really — defensively we (give up) 18 unanswered points. They ended up scoring (on) five of the next six drives.”

The salt in the wound is that both losses came at home. The Broncos will now prepare for road trips to Miami and Chicago before returning for a home game against the New York Jets ahead of another road game at Kansas City.

The silver lining is that Denver is only a game behind the Chiefs and Raiders in the AFC West, with five division games remaining on the schedule.

“Being able to tune out the distractions when you lose two games like this is challenging, but they have to be able to do that,” Payton said.

–Field Level Media

Jan 8, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (10) dives to recover a fumble in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy practices, in line to play Sunday

Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy completed a full practice for the first time since Aug. 24 on Thursday, putting Denver’s No. 1 wide receiver in line to play this weekend.

Jeudy, 24, caught 67 passes for 972 yards and six touchdowns last season and was touted by head coach Sean Payton as a top target in the new offense.

Payton said Jeudy nearly played in Week 1, but the team kept him out of the loss to the Las Vegas Raiders as a precaution. In August, Jeudy limped out of joint practices with the Los Angeles Rams favoring his right leg. His status was a major concern with wide receiver Tim Patrick (torn Achilles) lost for the season on July 31.

Jeudy has 157 catches for 2,295 yards and nine touchdowns in 41 games (33 starts) since the Broncos selected him 15th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.

–Field Level Media

Sep 10, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) prepares to pass to wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) (not pictured) who scored a touchdown in the second quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Sean Payton ‘pleased’ with Russell Wilson’s decision making

Denver coach Sean Payton was “pleased” with the decision making of quarterback Russell Wilson in the Broncos’ 17-16 season-opening loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.

Wilson was 27-of-34 passing for 177 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He did not throw an interception but was sacked twice while posting a 108.0 passer rating.

“I was pleased with the decision making. The key is to be able to run the ball and have the sustained success. We were able to do that at times,” Payton said Monday. “Part of that where the ball went was a byproduct of what we were seeing. Teams will be in and out of different coverage looks.”

The Broncos were without No. 1 wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (hamstring), while tight end Greg Dulcich left the game with a leg injury. Wilson threw at least one pass to 11 different players, but his longest completion was only 21 yards.

Payton chalked up some of Denver’s modest offensive numbers (including 94 rushing yards) to each team having just six possessions.

“Points then become at a premium. Generally speaking, you’re between 10 and 12 possessions a game,” he said. “Part of it was a result of both teams having long, sustained drives, overcoming some third downs, maybe some penalties to keep drives moving. It was a little unusual that way.

“If you told me we were going to win the turnover battle (or) we were going to win the rushing battle against that team, I would’ve been really happy and said that more than likely we were going to win the game. But it wasn’t the case.”

Denver is 0-1 along with Kansas City and the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West. The Broncos will play host to Washington in Week 2 before road games at Miami and Chicago ahead of a Week 5 showdown in Denver against the New York Jets.

–Field Level Media

Jul 28, 2023; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton dresses the media after training camp at Centura Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Broncos coach Sean Payton regrets remarks about former coach

One day after candidly criticizing former Denver coach Nathaniel Hackett, new Broncos coach Sean Payton backed off his verbal assault and said he made a mistake.

Payton referred to Hackett in an interview with USA Today on Thursday as doing “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL,” during his 15-game stint last season. The Broncos were 4-11 when they fired Hackett and finished 5-12.

“Listen, I had one of those moments where I still had my FOX hat on and not my coaching hat on,” Payton said at Friday’s news conference, referencing his former television studio analyst stint. “I said this to the team in a meeting yesterday, we’ve had a great offseason relative to that and I’ve been preaching that message, and here I am, the veteran, stepping in it. It was a learning experience for me, it was a mistake, obviously. I need a little bit more filter.

“There’s a pound of flesh for these guys, and as a coach you stick up for them, and after a while we’re past that season last year and, you know, I said what I said. Obviously, I needed a little bit more restraint and I regret that.”

Payton said he was regretting his words 40 minutes after saying them.

Payton also criticized the way the Broncos’ organization handled the lead-up to the 2022 season after acquiring quarterback Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks.

After the buildup, Wilson endured a horrific season and Payton told USA Today the problem wasn’t just Wilson. He said it was an organization-wide mess-up — and among the culprits he pointed toward was general manager George Paton, his new boss.

Payton also attempted to soften that blow on Friday.

“The front office and the ownership are the two reasons I came here,” Payton said. “George and I are close; he was one of the big attractions, he and ownership. My point was it was just across the board organizationally. It wasn’t one person.”

Hackett is now the offensive coordinator of the Jets and Payton even took shots at that organization, which obtained high-profile quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the offseason. He said the Jets were trying to win the offseason.

New York coach Robert Saleh fired back at Payton on Thursday, including saying, “Obviously we’re doing something right if you’ve gotta talk about us when we don’t play you until Week (5).”

Payton said he planned to reach out to Saleh and the Jets.

“Yeah, at the right time. I think the world of Robert, I know him,” Payton said. “I don’t know Nathaniel. At the right time. It certainly will bring more interest to the game when we play them, but that seems like years from now. But I’ll handle it the right way.”

Payton, 59, was brought in to revive the fortunes of the Broncos, who have missed the playoffs in seven straight seasons. He coached the New Orleans Saints to a Super Bowl title during the 2009 season.

The addition of Wilson did little to spark the offense as Denver scored 16 or fewer points in 11 of the 15 games under Hackett.

After Hackett’s departure, the Broncos scored 24 and 31 points while splitting two games under interim coach Jerry Rosburg.

Wilson passed for 3,524 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 15 games last season. He was a Pro Bowl selection in nine of 10 seasons with the Seahawks prior to the trade.

–Field Level Media