The head coach position is a very important one within a football team, despite the coach not executing the plays on the field. The Denver Broncos are a perfect example of the importance of a head coach, not only in football, but in any sport, and not only after last year's disastrous season.
Just for you to get an idea on who the past coaches were, and what record the team had...
Most recent Denver Broncos coaches and their records
- Jerry Rosburg: 1-1 (interim)
- Nathaniel Hackett: 4-11 (Did not make the Playoffs)
- Vic Fangio: 19-30 (Did not make the Playoffs)
- Vance Joseph: 11-21 (Did not make the Playoffs)
- Gary Kubiak: 21-11 (Won Super Bowl 50)
- John Fox: 46-18 (Made the Playoffs every season he was the HC)
- Eric Studesville: 1-3 (interim)
- Josh McDaniels: 11-16 (Did not make the Playoffs)
- Mike Shanahan: 224-138 (Won two Super Bowls)
Sean Payton is a Super Bowl champion as a coach, he has a winning culture, a 152-89 career win-loss record in the regular season, 1x NFL Coach of the Year, and a 9-8 career win-loss record in the Playoffs. Coach Payton has made the NFL Playoffs in 60% of the seasons in his head coaching career.
The Denver Broncos needed someone like Payton, a winning head coach, a leader, an aggressive offensive-minded guy, someone that does not lose his players' control, and someone that will bring a positive culture to the team. A very respectable guy, not only with the Saints but in the entire NFL.
I think that Sean is at least a top 10 head coach in the NFL, despite retiring for a year and working in TV, and can easily be in the conversation to be in the top 5, or even top 3. I think that Andy Reid and Bill Belichick are two head coaches that are unanimously one and two, but from three to 10, I do not think that there is a name that is the clear number three, and Sean can be in the conversation as I mentioned before.
Fill in the blank: Sean Payton is a top ____ head coach in the NFL.