Sean Payton has a shot at making NFL history this weekend - and he’s not exactly pausing to soak it in.
If the Denver Broncos notch another win on Sunday, Payton will join Bill Belichick as just the second head coach in league history to record 13 wins in a season five different times. That’s elite company. Belichick’s legacy is carved in stone, and while Payton’s résumé already speaks volumes, this milestone would further cement his place among the game’s all-time greats.
Let’s not forget: this isn’t Payton’s first rodeo with a 13-win campaign. He hit that mark four times during his run with the New Orleans Saints - in 2009, 2011, 2018, and 2019. Now, in his first full season at the helm in Denver, he’s got the Broncos sitting at 12-2, riding an 11-game winning streak, and playing some of the most inspired football the Mile High faithful have seen in over a decade.
But if you think Payton’s dwelling on personal accolades, think again.
“I’ve never had like an office or anything, and so some day, in storage we’ll put out all the stuff,” Payton said after practice Friday, brushing off the historical implications with a grin.
It’s classic Payton - deflecting the spotlight, keeping the focus on the team. And with the 10-4 Jacksonville Jaguars coming to town, there’s no room for distraction. The Broncos are in the thick of a playoff push, and Payton knows better than anyone that success in December is about keeping your eyes forward, not looking back.
“It’s like that song where you’re sitting at a poker table. We’re not counting any chips right now,” he said. “We’re just trying to continue to win, and the fun part about it is being around a young team that’s experiencing a lot of this stuff for the first time.”
That’s been one of the under-the-radar stories of Denver’s resurgence - this group is young, hungry, and learning how to win together. And Payton, who’s seen it all in his two decades as a head coach, seems energized by it. He talked about how the team’s youthful energy keeps him feeling young too - and let’s be honest, winning helps.
This is the most consistent success Broncos fans have seen in years. After a stretch of frustration and false starts, this 2025 squad is turning heads - and doing it with a swagger that starts at the top.
Payton isn’t chasing records. He’s chasing wins. But make no mistake: if he gets number 13 on Sunday, the history books will take notice - even if he’s not ready to open them just yet.