Sean Payton just dropped the bombshell news every Broncos fan has waited for

Everyone in Broncos Country has been wondering one thing since Sean Payton promoted Davis Webb to the offensive coordinator role earlier this offseason: Who is going to call plays in 2026? Well, we now have our answer.

Speaking to the media at the NFL Scouting Combine, Payton informed the media that Davis Webb will be calling plays for the team this season.

There had been a good amount of speculation about whether or not Payton would give up play-calling duties, but many in the media and even the fan base didn't believe he would ever actually do it. But as Payton noted during his press conference, you only consider something like this for someone you believe is good enough to do it, and Webb qualified.

Sean Payton says Davis Webb will call plays for the Broncos in 2026

All of the speculation this offseason has led to, ultimately, one of the biggest developments that could have possibly been anticipated, but the breadcrumbs were there to follow, if you were paying attention.

Payton had said at one point last season that things were moving slower for him than before, and he likened play-calling at times to "driving in the rain at night." That analogy was perhaps the clearest admission yet that Payton might actually consider relinquishing that role, even if it was on a part-time basis.

Then it was reported earlier this offseason (by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network) that Payton had tried to hire Joe Brady from the Bills as his offensive coordinator, but Brady was hired as Buffalo's head coach. Rapoport's report indicated that part of the recruiting pitch for Brady was potentially calling plays.

With Davis Webb getting head coach looks and plenty of offensive coordinator looks from other teams around the league, it was theorized that the Broncos could recruit Webb back to Denver by not only offering him a promotion in title, but actually giving him play-calling duties.

Now, we know that's actually going to be the case.

Webb called plays for the Broncos in a preseason game last year, and the offense exploded in both yards and points. Yes, it was a preseason game, but it was an impressive audition. Impressive enough that Payton also admitted during his press conference that he considered handing over play-calling duties as early as midseason in 2025.

For all of the national perspectives about Sean Payton and his ego getting in the way of good judgment, it's interesting to see how quickly Payton was willing to make this announcement. And he did indicate he will still have a hand in play-calling on gamedays, but he's effectively giving the keys to the car over to Webb for 2026.