The Denver Broncos are entering a new era under Sean Payton after a disappointing 2022 season with former head coach Nathaniel Hackett. Payton is determined to turn things around for the franchise that boasts three Lombardi Trophies. In an interview with Jarrett Bell of USA Today, Payton made it clear that he’s taking a different approach than last season.
“Everything I heard about last season, we’re doing the opposite,” Payton told Bell. Payton didn’t hold back his thoughts on the previous coaching staff and their handling of star quarterback Russell Wilson. He criticized the team for various issues, saying:
“There’s so much dirt around that. There’s 20 dirty hands, for what was allowed, tolerated in the fricking training rooms, the meeting rooms. The offense. I don’t know Hackett. A lot of people had dirt on their hands. It wasn’t just Russell. He didn’t just flip. He still has it. This B.S. that he hit a wall? Shoot, they couldn’t get a play in. They were 29th in the league in pre-snap penalties on both sides of the ball.”
Despite Wilson’s struggles in the previous season, Payton acknowledged that the blame should not solely fall on the quarterback. He pointed fingers at the coaches and team management, including general manager George Paton, for allowing Wilson’s personal coaches access to the facility. Payton made it clear that such practices won’t continue under his leadership.
He wants his players to have work habits
The head coach emphasized that the entire team shares responsibility for the previous year’s failures. He criticized the offensive line and referred to it as “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.”
To get the Broncos back on track, Payton highlighted the importance of work habits and took a dig at Hackett’s current team, the New York Jets. He stated that the focus would be on hard work rather than extravagant offseason events and PR stunts. Payton didn’t hesitate to express his confidence in leading the team to success, setting high expectations for the upcoming season.
“I’m going to be pissed off if this is not a playoff team,” he asserted. The road ahead won’t be easy for the Broncos, playing in a competitive AFC West that they haven’t won since 2015. Nevertheless, Payton remains undeterred and ready to take on the challenge.