Sean Payton is taking the play sheet into his own hands.
The Broncos head coach confirmed Thursday that he will assume play-calling duties as Denver tries to shake loose an offense that has lagged well behind the rest of the league.
“We’ll make a change offensively. I’ll call the plays,” Payton said.
The move comes after reports that Payton would become more involved in the offensive process. Denver has been searching for a spark and is sitting at No. 27 in total offense, No. 29 in rushing yards, No. 21 in passing yards, and No. 27 in points per game.
Payton also made clear that offensive coordinator Davis Webb remains part of the picture, saying Webb will be a future head coach at some point.
At 62, Payton has spent a long run around the NFL sidelines and quarterback rooms. He started his coaching career with the Eagles as their QBs coach in 1997, then moved to the Giants for three seasons before the Cowboys brought him aboard as assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach for the 2003 season.
His biggest run came in New Orleans, where the Saints hired him as head coach for the 2006 season. In 2019, he agreed to an extension that would have kept him with the Saints through the 2024 season, but he retired after the 2021 season and went to FOX as an analyst.
Payton’s Saints tenure produced a 152-89 record, a stretch that included nine playoff appearances and the Super Bowl title in 2009. He later signed a five-year contract with the Broncos in 2023.
Overall, Payton owns a career record of 184-108 and is 10-10 in the postseason.
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