INDIANAPOLIS — Fresh off a bout with food poisoning, Sean Payton made a decision he believes will improve the health of his offense.
Tuesday, he officially, publicly handed off play-calling duties to new offensive coordinator Davis Webb. He did not look sick or gag when he said it. So, for now, we must believe it. Take him at his word.
In one of his best press conferences as the Broncos coach, he showed remarkable self-awareness. Denver does not have a Super Bowl-worthy offense.
Payton first made that clear when he fired friend Joe Lombardi two days after the season ended. But it was nothing more than cosmetic since Payton ran the offense.
Until he stepped to the podium in the Indianapolis Convention Center.
Payton demoted himself, believing Webb has a “gift” that must be explored. So, for the first time in 19 years, somebody else will be the voice in the quarterback’s ear.
Payton relinquishing the duties deserves praise. It also means the 2026 season has a chance to be marvelous or a murky mess.
Does Thunder’s saddle come with a seatbelt? Buckle up. This is going to be fun.
“It was something I kind of knew during the year. We visited on a handful of occasions during the season. Davis is extremely talented,” Payton said. “I think he will be really good at it. I would only do this if I felt like it would help our team.”
Payton provided a version of this explanation multiple times to different questions. He seemed authentic. But it was hard to tell if he was trying to convince the press or himself.
The man has built his reputation on dialing up great plays. Drew Brees turned his concepts into a first-ballot entrance into Canton. Payton’s offenses have ranked inside the top 10 in yards 13 times and 11 times in points.
This guy is going to ride shotgun? He is going to give the steering wheel to a 31-year-old coach who just shed his training wheels?
“We finished 10th (in total offense), and had a good team. There are things certainly we need to get better at,” Payton said. “It is also about being quicker and look, it’s only if there is someone who is good enough to do that.”
Over his last four seasons as head coach, including 2021 in New Orleans, Payton’s offense has not ranked inside the top 10 in points and yards.
It was time.
The admission was still jarring. And the execution remains an open-ended question.
There are those who have worked with Payton who cannot fathom the idea of him ceding control. That includes his former longtime backup quarterback Chase Daniel.
“It should tell you everything you need to know about Davis Webb,” he said.
But what it does not reveal is how Payton will handle this move in practice. In theory, it makes complete sense to any of us who watched the Thursday night game against the Raiders or the final two regular-season wins against the Chiefs and Chargers.
Payton is making the correct move by giving the keys to Webb, even if it might only be for a year until he lands a head coaching position.
But in talking to people who know the coach a lot better than the rest of us, I keep coming back to this: how is this really going to work?
Is this Albert Einstein handing over the chalkboard equation to Will Hunting? Or did Webb just land the worst sports job in Denver besides Rockies pitching coach?
“I am going to do everything I can to support him, so we are not going to sit and grade his play-calling each week,” Payton said. “At least hopefully we are not.”
Fans will. They rained down boos on the offense several times, prompting former Denver quarterback Jake Plummer to say they deserved the middle finger. And the media will track his progress like it is the stock market.
But how will Payton react to the inevitable growing pains?
That is the only thing that matters, and makes this must-watch television.
If the Broncos go three-and-out on their first two drives or score fewer than 20 points in back-to-back games, will Payton call an audible?
Payton was once Webb, the wunderkind. He knows what it is like to have a veteran coach, in his case Jim Fassel, look over his shoulder after elevating him from quarterbacks boss to OC.
“I can recall how it was. I am sure there are going to be times I will say this is what I want to run,” Payton admitted. “But there is trust there with his ability and trust in our relationship.”
It is going to get tested. Payton is not easy to work for as an offensive assistant. He can alternate between brilliant and volcanic. Webb is stepping into the lava.
The hours will be long. Creative friction will be tense. As a former quarterback with confidence, swagger and an encyclopedic memory of football, he is built for this.
“They have been together for three years. I think it will be great,” general manager George Paton said. “The good news is that he has one of the best to call a game right there with him.”
The bad news? He has one of the best to call a game right there with him.
A few years removed from playing in the NFL, Webb understands the importance of getting the calls in sooner to Bo Nix, of giving him more time to assess the defense before the snap.
But Payton has to give him space. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence from players to believe Webb will be terrific and definitely competent. But not if Payton is a helicopter parent.
I asked the coach how he will avoid the temptation to interfere, if he will give Webb the independence afforded to Vance Joseph and Darren Rizzi.
“I probably micromanage all those areas. It’s not any one person’s defense or special teams. It’s the Broncos,” Payton said. “I give them some freedom, and yet, you guys just haven’t been in enough meetings.”
We have, though, heard enough of his words. There is no doubt who is in charge.
So, there are two ways this can go. And only one if it is to produce a Hollywood ending at Sofi next February.
“Listen, I am going to have opinions on plays,” Payton said. “Mine will be the bad ones and his will be all the good ones.”
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