The Denver Broncos trailed by 11 points entering the fourth quarter in Week 8, and this truly felt like a game where the magic wasn't going to happen.
But then, of course, it did. The Broncos keep finding ways to win and have now won four games in a row. Sitting at 6-2 and in first place in the AFC West, the Broncos are positioned well to win the division for a second year in a row, and earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC is also in play.
After the game, we got a glimpse from the official team account of the locker room and the players reacting to Sean Payton's 200th win in the NFL, becoming the 6th-fastest head coach ever to reach 200 wins. The reaction the players had after Payton was given a game ball really proves how tight and unshakable the culture is.
Denver Broncos locker room after Week 8 proves team is as together as they have ever been
It's just hard to picture a more tightly-knit team after viewing this video. The Broncos are bought in to it all - the coaches, the winning, everything:
Inside the locker room following #KCvsDEN: pic.twitter.com/8Jr3QBhNmo
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) November 2, 2026
There just might not be a tigher locker room in the sport right now, and you can't help but smile after watching that clip. I would have to assume that it's, to a degree, tiring for some of the players and coaches to consistently be in these tight games, but given how much the team wins them, it's almost expected.
The Broncos have their issues - the offensive line has regressed, the running back room could use a boost, and the missed tackles are an issue, but the fabric of the team, the culture, the buy-in is all there.
And it's not a surprise, as the Broncos have gradually gotten better each year of the Payton era, winning eight games in 2023, 10 in 2024, and 14 in 2025. While getting to 14 wins might be a tall task, the Broncos have ascended to be one of the very best squads in the NFL.
Not only that, but the Broncos take care of their own. This team has so many home-growns players that have been rewarded with deals. There are a ton of other players who were free agents that have gotten paid multiple times by the team as well.
This entire operation is well-run from the top to the bottom, and Payton is at the center of it all. The players are getting taken care of financially, the team is winning, and everyone is in this for the good of the team.
The culture Payton has established on the Broncos is evident. The thing is, it's hard to win in this league. Finishing with a winning record in one year is tough enough. Being able to do it multiple years in a row is even tougher.
It's never perfect and sometimes a bit sloppy, but the Payton-era Broncos are a juggernaut, and the culture is outstanding.
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