The Denver Broncos caught the big fish. On Tuesday, the search for the team’s new coach officially ended with the hiring of Sean Payton.
Depending on who you listened to, the deal was on the table and then off the table and then talks started ramping up again and then Sean Payton had no interest, and the list went on and on. But the deal is now official.
The Broncos have agreed to acquire Payton from the New Orleans Saints. It is the first time a head coach has been traded since 2002 when the Oakland Raiders sent Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Payton sat out this past season but a return to the league has long been rumored. The Broncos were looking to take a “big swing” at hiring a coach; few would be more significant than this.
So what are the Broncos getting with their new head coach? Payton will be tasked with turning around a once proud NFL franchise that has missed the playoffs in each of the last seven seasons.
Payton comes with an impressive resume, which is part of the reason the team had to give up something big to get him.
Payton will get right to work on compiling the rest of his coaching staff and figuring out how to turn this Broncos team around.
The Broncos got a top-tier coach who will likely be in the Hall of Fame at some point down the line. Here are some of the best things that Payton will bring to the organization.
Sean Payton brings offensive prowess
Many teams around the league like to employ offensive-minded head coaches these days and Payton is near the top of the list in terms of offensive coaches and their success on the field.
Payton’s coaching career began in 1988 in the college ranks before he came to the NFL as the quarterbacks coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. He was then the offensive coordinator of the New York Giants before becoming the assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
Of course, he is best known for coaching the Saints where the team consistently had one of the best offenses in the league.
Payton is known for his ability to prepare quarterbacks to have success as well as offensive matchups and putting the right personnel in the right place at the right time.
Payton is a real X’s and O’s offensive coach and he has a strong understanding of the game and how to put points on the board at the professional level.
Key Stat
Saints points per game during Payton’s 16-year tenure: 26.9
Broncos points per game during 7-year playoff drought: 19.1