The Denver Broncos began the year 1-2 and had lost two games in a row on last-second field goals. Losing in that fashion to the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Chargers were two of the most brutal ways to lose games. Since then, however, Denver has not looked back.
It does appear that those two losses have played a huge part in the team rattling off 11 wins in a row. The Broncos have won close game after close game, have mounted a ton of fourth quarter comebacks, and have simply played excellent football for multiple months now.
Sean Payton is the straw that stirs this drink together, and at this point, he should be the heavy favorite for the NFL Coach of the Year award, as the Broncos were the first team in the AFC to clinch a playoff spot, and also own the best record in the NFL.
Sean Payton is probably the Coach of the Year thus far after massive Week 15 win
Sean Payton greatness is on full display most weeks. The Denver Broncos are consistently the more prepared team than their opponents, and we have since seen Bo Nix and the offense take off. Nix might have played his best game as a Broncos' quarterback in the team's Week 15 win over the Green Bay Packers.
He tossed four touchdown passes and was simply surgical. Payton is the architect of this offense, though - he calls the plays and was clearly a huge factor in this team drafting Bo Nix in the first place. Many people doubted Payton for his decisions to cut ties with Russell Wilson and roll with Bo Nix, but it's been a massive success thus far.
Since the Denver Broncos 0-2 start in the 2024 NFL Season, the team has gone 22-7 in the regular season, a winning percentage of .758. The Broncos are also likely going to wrap up the AFC West title in the next couple of weeks and are in the driver's seat for the no. 1 overall seed in the conference for the playoffs.
If the Broncos can wrap those things up and finish with 13 wins or more, how does Payton not win the award? He's been the best head coach in the NFL this year and has probably had his best year as a head coach thus far here in 2025.
Payton and the Denver Broncos are a juggernaut, and the veteran head coach is barreling toward the major award.