When the Denver Broncos traded for Sean Payton back in 2023, it felt like the franchise was finally getting on the right track. After a rather active free agency period that year, the Broncos stumbled out of the gate and started just 1-5, with some of the worst defense we've seen in the history of the NFL.
It was at this point that many began to hammer Payton and said that he was washed up and carried by Drew Brees. Well, since that point, Payton is 31-14 in the regular season, which is a 12-win pace over a full 17 games. That's the pace the Broncos have sustained for 2.5 years under Payton.
Well, in some of the latest head coach rankings approaching the 2026 season, Payton didn't get the love he deserved.
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton only sits at No. 8 in PFF's head coach rankings
Bradley Locker ranked the top-10 head coaches in the NFL for the 2026 season in PFF, and somehow, Payton only appeared in the 8th spot, notably behind guys like DeMeco Ryans and Matt LaFleur:
"After a decorated 15-year tenure in New Orleans that featured a Super Bowl title, Payton has maintained his winning ways in Denver. In three years out west, Payton has also compiled a 32-19 record and has augmented his win total in every campaign, culminating in a 14-3 mark in 2025.
Operating as the Broncos’ effective offensive leader, Payton shoulders a considerable amount of play-calling responsibility. However, Denver has placed 17th, 17th and 20th in the last three respective seasons in offensive EPA per play, and balance hasn’t quite been established with the run and pass. Nevertheless, Payton deserves credit for assembling the sport’s highest-graded offensive line and helping Bo Nix continue to grow.
On the other side of the ball, Payton plays a less active role than defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. Yet Payton’s ability to retain Joseph, the mind behind the fourth-ranked unit in EPA per play since 2023, is also very valuable in and of itself.
Payton has a bit more left to chew in getting back to the Super Bowl, especially after the Broncos lost an ugly AFC championship last season. If his offense — now fielding receiver Jaylen Waddle — can improve and Denver can rely less on fourth-quarter magic, then Payton will reach even rarer air."
It seems like this No. 8 ranking is clearly giving Payton credit for his win-total ascension in all three years of his Broncos tenure, but also dinging him due to his 'EPA per play' numbers on offense as the Broncos play-caller. However, the Broncos have had a subpar group of playmakers all three years of Payton's career.
And in 2025, when things were pointing up, running back J.K. Dobbins suffered a foot injury. The Broncos struggled with drops on offense last year, and I am not sure Payton can impact receivers catching passes at a higher rate...
Notably, Payton is ranked behind coaches like Matt LaFleur and DeMeco Ryans, a head coach who is 3-6 in the playoffs, and another coach who has not advanced past the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs.
It definitely seems a bit low to see Payton ranked just inside the top-10. Had Bo Nix not broken his ankle, which was a freak thing, the Broncos may have won it all this year. The more accurate representation of Payton would be in the top-5 somewhere. You could argue that guys like Sean McVay, Andy Reid, and Mike Macdonald should all be ranked higher, but Payton is right there.
The Broncos are a juggernaut, and it's because of the work that Payton has done.
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