The Denver Broncos have a number of assistant coaches up for promotions around the league, a handful of them interviewing for head coaching gigs. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and Davis Webb have interviewed for head coaching jobs. Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi has drawn interest for the Giants' head coaching job. Defensive backs coach Jim Leonhard has received interest for the Dallas Cowboys' defensive coordinator job.
Payton is proud of his assistants. He's always maintained that it's better for other teams to be trying to hire your coaches away than wondering why no other teams have interest. He says that it's a sign you have hired the right people.
But Payton also understands the importance of being selective. Even with his assistants getting looks from other teams, he sent a clear warning about the teams that seem to be in this hiring cycle every three years.
Sean Payton sends a clear warning to Broncos assistants about being selective with opportunities
Asked #Broncos HC Sean Payton about navigating HC interest in Vance Joseph, DC interest in Jim Leonhard.
— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) January 9, 2026
End of response: “Some of these teams, every three years, come up. And our guys are smart to understand — there’s no utopia, but there’s some places that are tough to win.” pic.twitter.com/CZgmfaPIOg
“Some of these teams, every three years, come up. And our guys are smart to understand — there’s no utopia, but there’s some places that are tough to win.”
- Sean Payton (via Luca Evans on Twitter/X)
Teams like the Titans, Giants, Raiders, and Cardinals are all looking for head coaches and have requested interviews with Vance Joseph. Davis Webb has also done a head coaching interview with the Raiders.
It's not like you can always be so selective that you never take a risk, but Payton is right when he says that some of these organizations are constantly in this same cycle. The reality of the NFL is that there are just some places that are nearly impossible to win, and you can connect the dots on which teams he might be talking about based on that list.
Even though it might rub some people the wrong way that he said it in the first place, it's an important note from Payton and it's something that these coaches need to know when they're looking at leaving their current situation and accepting a job with a lot more pressure in a place where it's going to be a lot more difficult to win.
Essentially, Payton is warning his guys that it's not going to hurt them to be selective and "picky". We'll see how things play out as the head coach carousel continues to spin, but with Payton's warning, expect Broncos coaches to take his advice and take a selective approach.