The Denver Broncos are bringing in a familiar face as they gear up for their AFC Divisional Round showdown with the Buffalo Bills. John Morton, a longtime associate of head coach Sean Payton, has joined the team as a postseason consultant ahead of Saturday’s matchup at Empower Field at Mile High.
Morton’s history with Payton runs deep. Their working relationship dates back to 2006, when Morton was part of Payton’s inaugural staff in New Orleans, serving as a passing game coordinator and offensive assistant.
A decade later, they reunited with Morton coaching wide receivers for the Saints in 2015 and 2016. The connection continued in Denver, where Morton served as the Broncos’ pass game coordinator during the 2023-24 season.
Now, after a turbulent year in Detroit, Morton is back in the fold with Payton.
Morton spent the 2025 season as the Lions’ offensive coordinator-a role that didn’t last the full year. He was relieved of play-calling duties midway through the season, a move that caught some by surprise given the team’s offensive production at the time.
Through eight games with Morton calling plays, Detroit ranked third in the league in points per game (29.9) and eighth in total offense (350.8 yards per game). The Lions were putting up 225.6 passing yards and 125.1 rushing yards per outing, and they started the season 5-3.
But after a 27-24 home loss to the Vikings on November 2, head coach Dan Campbell took over play-calling responsibilities. While Morton remained on staff through the end of the year, his time as offensive coordinator came to a close after just one season.
Despite the midseason change, Detroit’s offense didn’t miss a beat. The Lions finished the regular season ranked fifth in both total offense (373.2 yards per game) and scoring offense (28.3 points per game), a testament to the foundation Morton helped establish early in the year.
Now, the Broncos are hoping to tap into that offensive insight as they prepare for a Bills defense that has been opportunistic down the stretch. Bringing in Morton adds another experienced voice to Denver’s postseason brain trust-someone who knows Payton’s system inside and out and has recent experience managing a high-powered NFL offense.
It’s a smart, strategic move. In the playoffs, every edge matters. And for Sean Payton, having someone like Morton in the room-someone he trusts, who’s been in the trenches with him before-could help make the difference in a tight postseason battle.