Sean Payton Deserves the NFL Coach of Decade Award

David Eulitt. Getty Images.

The Denver Broncos are 9-2 & in 1st place in the hardest division in football?!?!?!

How the heck is that even possible? Because of one man…. Sean Payton.

Keep in mind that this ain't the NFC South either. This is the division of the near dynasty Kansas City Chiefs led by Patrick Mahomes & Andy Reid AND the Jim Harbaugh & Justin Herbert LA Chargers!

What Sean P has done in Denver in 2.5 seasons is truly mind blowing! He took over a team in salary cap hell because of the 250 million dollar Russell Wilson contract. The Broncos had missed the playoffs seven years in a row at that point.

Russ and Payton were never a fit for a multitude of reasons. Wilson's skill set (or lack there of) did not fit in Payton's offense and their personalities clashed. 

Predictably, that relationship ended after a tumultuous year. With the Broncos salary cap situation, Denver had to look to the draft to find a starting QB.

Enter Bo Nix. 

The Broncos drafted Nix with the 12th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft despite loud questions of whether Nix could be a starting NFL QB.

But succeeding in the NFL is all about the system fit and Nix can play point guard in a Sean Payton offense that relies on brains & accuracy over size & strength.

Despite a rocky start to his rookie season, the Broncos finished 10-7 and ended the 8 year playoff draught before getting massacred in Buffalo.

The franchise momentum was BACK entering his 3rd year. 

After beating their arch rival the Chiefs on Sunday, Denver is now in the driver's seat in the AFC West AND has a legitimate shot at the #1 seed in the AFC. CRAZY!

One of the best moves Payton made was somehow convincing Vance Joseph to come back to Denver as his defensive cordinator despite being fired as Broncos head coach years ago. I cannot recall that exact situation ever happening. Kudos to Joseph for embracing that role with a franchise that gave up on him.

The Broncos have a top 3 defense in the NFL and it was on full display shutting down the high powered Chiefs Sunday.

While the offense has definitely struggled in 1st halves, Bo Nix ALWAYS seems to step up in the 4th quarter with his arms or legs when the game is on the line. The Broncos might be winning games 18-15, 19-16 & 10-7 but they all count the same in pro football.

Can they make a run at the Super Bowl? Getting the #1 seed with their home field advantage in Denver would certainly be a HELLUVA start. All I know is I will NEVER count Sean Payton out!