Tag: Sean Payton

Denver Broncos Foundation to sponsor training of service dog

This will be the third service dog the Denver Broncos Foundation will have sponsored and placed with a veteran.

November is a time when the NFL celebrates the brave men and women who serve and have served the United States in the armed forces.

Now, the Denver Broncos will look to give back to a veteran through its partnership with K9s for Warriors.

“The Denver Broncos Foundation, through the support of Owner and Board Chair Carrie Walton Penner and Head Coach Sean Payton, will sponsor the training of a new service dog in continuation of their partnership with K9s For Warriors,” the team said in a statement on Wednesday.

“K9s For Warriors is honored to once again partner with Coach Payton and the Denver Broncos Foundation,” said Lindsay Grayson, Chief Revenue Officer at K9s For Warriors. “The dog will kick off his training in Broncos Country, attending his first game and meeting fans. He will then go on to save a military veteran’s life. We want to thank the Broncos for believing in our mission of saving lives at both ends of the leash.”

Carrie Walton Penner and Sean Payton also spearheaded the team’s sponsoring of two service dogs last year. Those dogs, Bucky and Thunder, have since graduated the training program.

 “K9s For Warriors is a nonprofit organization that is committed to ending veteran suicide and provides highly trained service dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and other invisible wounds of war,” the Broncos said in a statement.

“Dedicated to saving not just one life, but two, K9s For Warriors rescues a majority of their dogs for its service dog program, allowing both the K9 and veteran to build an unwavering bond that facilitates their collective healing and recovery. On average, they pair up to 16 veterans with service dogs each month. To date, the organization has rescued more than 2,000 dogs and paired nearly 1,000 veterans with lifesaving service dogs.”

Well done, Broncos.

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Sean Payton will attempt to sweep NFC South on Sunday

Sean Payton’s Broncos have outscored NFC South opponents 87-31 this fall. They’ll attempt to sweep the division when they host the Falcons.

Sean Payton won seven NFC South division titles and reached three NFC championship games during his time with the New Orleans Saints.

Now coaching the Denver Broncos, Payton has faced some familiar faces this season because the NFL’s schedule rotation has AFC West teams playing NFC South teams in 2024.

So far, the Broncos are 3-0 against Payton’s old division with a 26-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a 33-10 win over the Saints and a 28-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers. After winning the previous matchups by combined scores of 87-31, Denver will look to complete an NFC South sweep when the Atlanta Falcons visit this weekend.

Payton was asked during his media availability on Wednesday if he’s extra competitive when facing teams from his old division.

“I don’t think so,” Payton said. “It’s a fair question. There have been so many changes. Atlanta’s new offensively and defensively. Carolina is new. Tampa certainly with Todd [Bowles] but I don’t think — you might know some personnel. The New Orleans thing was different, but I don’t think with the other three. They’re just the next team, and you dive into the scheme, you dive into the players and who does what well. That would be my answer.”

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on Fox (view the TV map). Playing at home, the Broncos are considered slight favorites in Week 11.

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Broncos are ‘really encouraged’ by QB Bo Nix’s progress

“We’re really encouraged,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of QB Bo Nix’s progress this season.

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix did everything right on the team’s final drive against the Kansas City Chief last week.

Nix went 43 yards on 13 plays and picked up a key third down that allowed the Broncos to get within easy field goal range while winding down the clock. The ensuing field goal attempt was blocked, but Nix put the team in position to win the game.

“There are these steps,” Denver coach Sean Payton said of Nix’s progress. “They’ll be some more adversity, but there is a poise with him. I think his teammates in the huddle talk about it. The third-down play was significant because right at that moment, then we controlled everything. The clock [and] the game.

“It was funny after the game; you’re going across the field and I see Andy [Reid] and a few of the other guys. I see Patrick [Mahomes] and knowing him and just turned to me and said, ‘You got one.’ I think he told Bo, ‘We’re going to have a lot of good games.’ That’s something coming from him. We continue to look at the things that he does well and try to feature those things as he progresses into some of the things that he’s going to need to do. Yeah, we’re really encouraged.”

Nix finished the game with a 73.3% completion rate, 215 passing yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers, good for a 115.3 passer rating.

“I told him after the game that I was super proud of him,” wide receiver Courtland Sutton said. “Obviously, we didn’t get the win, but the way he handled that game [by] going into hostile territory, playing against the defending champs and playing against a really good defense and defensive coordinator, he handled the game really well. For a young guy and especially a rookie to go into Arrowhead and manage the game the way he did and manage that two-minute drill the way that he did, that is all you can ask for.

“He went in there and did what he was supposed to do. He gave us a chance to go down there and get points to win the game. He handled it really well. He’s continuing to show signs — each week, I tell you guys he shows signs of the maturity level and the promise that is there. That’s what he showed in that game. He did a really good job of managing it, like I said. That’s all you can really ask for.”

Nix has completed 63.6% of his passes this fall for 1,968 yards with 10 touchdowns against six interceptions. He has also rushed for 290 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Nix continues to progress and he has the Broncos in position to contend for a playoff spot this season. As Sutton said, you can’t ask for more than that from the rookie QB.

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Why Sean Payton showed Broncos players a montage of heartbreaking losses

Broncos coach Sean Payton showed players a montage of heartbreaking losses this week. “We get up and we start fighting again,” he said.

Following their 16-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton created a montage of other heartbreaking losses he has experienced and he presented it to the team’s players this week.

The first clip was from the 1991 college football season when Payton was a running backs and wide receivers coach at Indiana State. The Sycamores scored late in the game to take a 25-24 lead over Kansas State.

“We went for the two-point play, threw an interception in the middle of the end zone and the Kansas State player took it back 107 yards,” Payton recalled this week.

That sealed a 26-25 loss.

The next clip was from Payton’s first season in the NFL when he was a quarterbacks coach with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1997. Trailing the Dallas Cowboys by one point on Monday Night Football, the Eagles drove down the field to set up what could have been a game-winning field goal. Philly’s holder, punter Tommy Hutton, mishandled the snap and the Eagles lost 21-20.

After that, Payton showed the play when former Broncos safety Justin Simmons blocked a New Orleans Saints extra point attempt and Will Parks ran it back for a two-point score to secure a 25-23 win for Denver.

https://youtu.be/hqUpq65ACQw?si=pYD8dILITIN2Rwed

Next up in the montage was the “Minneapolis Miracle” from when the Minnesota Vikings knocked the Saints out of the 2017 playoffs.

After that, the video showed New Orleans losing to the Los Angeles Rams in the 2018 NFL playoffs after an egregious no call.

“The point of the film, I said to them, ‘I don’t have enough time here to show you all the good clips,'” Payton recalled. “‘Just like in life, we’re going to have some [moments] and then we get up and we start fighting again.’ There was just a message behind that. Every one of us here has that film in some way, shape or form, whether it’s personally [or] occupationally. So I think the response — and look the team we’re playing is coming off of a tough loss.

“You hope that when your career is done, your film is longer on the other end than that end. I think the response — we had a good practice today, real good. We get ready for this team. It’s an entirely different type team relative to what they do schematically, how they run the ball and what they do defensively than the team we just played. We have to lock in and be ready for a different type of opponent.”

Following that motivational message from Payton, the Broncos will attempt to bounce back from the Chiefs loss when they host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

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Broncos ST coach Ben Kotwica thankful for Mike Westhoff’s mentorship

“He’s been a mentor, but most importantly he’s been a friend,” Broncos special teams coach Ben Kotwica said of retiring coach Mike Westhoff.

Finally, 76-year-old Mike Westhoff gets to actually retire. And there’s no talking him out of it this time.

After coaching New York Jets special teams units from 2001-2012, Westhoff stepped down from coaching in 2013. Four years later, Sean Payton convinced Westhoff to unretire midway through the 2017 season to help the New Orleans Saints get their special teams turned around.

After one more season in New Orleans, Westhoff retired a second time. Five years later, Payton came calling again and Westhoff joined the Denver Broncos as an assistant head coach in 2023.

Westhoff was set to retire again following last season, but Payton had team owner Greg Penner talk the coach into returning for the 2024 season. Now, midway through the season, Westhoff is retiring again, this time due to health concerns.

Ben Kotwica, Denver’s special teams coordinator who previously overlapped with Westhoff with the Jets from 2007-2012, spoke about his mentor’s retirement following Thursday’s practice.

“When I ended up getting into the league, Mike and I worked together back in the day with the Jets back in 2007. To get back together here over the last couple years and help shape this unit — which arguably is one of the top ten in the year — [has] really been rewarding and special.

“He’s been a mentor, but most importantly he’s been a friend. So I’m very grateful for time — we’ll obviously stay connected moving forward, but I just wanted to thank him for everything that he’s given me.”

The Broncos now have two dedicated special teams coaches remaining on staff in Kotwica and assistant Chris Banjo. Westhoff can now enjoy retirement — more than a decade after initially stepping away from football in 2013.

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Sean Payton says Mike Westhoff is a Hall of Fame-worthy coach

The Broncos will miss retiring assistant coach Mike Westhoff, who Sean Payton said is worthy of Hall of Fame consideration.

Earlier this week, news broke that Denver Broncos assistant head coach Mike Westhoff was stepping down due to health concerns.

After Wednesday’s practice, Broncos head coach Sean Payton began his press conference by addressing Westhoff’s retirement.

“I want to start real quickly and I know there’s already been a release regarding Mike Westhoff,” Payton said. “He and I’ve been together for quite some time. I think over the last two and a half weeks, he started having some blurriness in one of his eyes. Of course he didn’t say anything initially, he’s kind of a tough sucker. This [has] progressively been concerning to him. After the game, he went through some scans — went through quite a bit of medical work — and he felt, as well as his medical team, that it was in his best interest to step away. There’s a stress level obviously that takes place that can take its toll and certainly at his age with the condition.

“I know he’s gotten the treatment he’s needed, and he’ll continue to monitor that. I would say this — because I didn’t know him — I always knew of him, and we hired him mid-season in New Orleans. It’s not often that assistant coaches get into the [Pro Football] Hall of Fame. I’m not — I’m just saying, if there was, he’s one of those top special teams’ coordinators. Certainly, if you look at our numbers in two years relative to where we’ve come, he’s done a tremendous job here. We’ll miss him. Certainly, we’ll stay in touch.”

Payton convinced Westhoff to unretire in 2023 to help oversee Denver’s special teams units. The Broncos also hired special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica and assistant Chris Banjo. The plan was for Westhoff to help for one season and then have Kotwica completely take over in 2024. After last season went so well, though, Payton told owner Greg Penner to ask Westhoff to come back for one more season.

“[A]fter last season, I actually went in and saw Greg and said, ‘Hey why don’t you meet with him and see if you can talk him into coming back. He doesn’t have to come back until training camp,'” Payton recalled. “So Greg’s a good salesman and that went well.”

Westhoff will now retire again to focus on his health. Payton’s unlikely to get him to unretire a fourth time, so the Broncos will thank the coach for his service and move forward with Kotwica and Banjo.

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Sean Payton recalls ‘difficult’ decision to cut Justin Simmons

“That was difficult, I mean, holy cow,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of the decision to cut Justin Simmons this spring.

Atlanta Falcons safety Justin Simmons is set to return to Empower Field at Mile High this weekend to face the Denver Broncos, his old team.

Simmons, 30, was released by the Broncos this spring in a move that saved the team $14.5 million in salary cap space. Denver coach Sean Payton was asked about the decision to cut Simmons after Wednesday’s practice.

“That was difficult, I mean, holy cow,” Payton said. “I remember him coming out in the draft. I remember — look, I was just with him a season, but it’s always difficult when you’re dealing — especially with a veteran — someone who’s played so well for the organization. Those are never easy decisions.”

Simmons will reunite with many former teammates on Sunday, including cornerback Pat Surtain. Simmons is still in a defensive back group chat that includes Surtain, Ja’Quan McMillian and P.J. Locke.

“It’s going to be a lot different, obviously, my past few years here, he’s been on our side of the ball,” Surtain said Wednesday. “So it’s going to be very much different, but I’m excited for the reunion for sure. I know [there’s] a lot of anticipation leading up to it.

“I’m looking forward to it, I know he’s excited, we’re excited. We’re still connected in the group chat, so [there’s] going to be a lot of trash talk going into it. It’s going to be pretty cool.”

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on Fox (view the TV map). Playing at home, the Broncos are considered slight favorites in Week 11.

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Broncos release depth chart for Week 11 vs. Falcons

Here’s a look at the Broncos’ updated depth chart for Sunday’s game against the Falcons.

After making two roster moves earlier this week, the Denver Broncos have updated their depth chart ahead of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Broncos waived safety Keidron Smith from the 53-man roster on Tuesday. To fill Smith’s old spot on the active roster, Denver promoted fullback Michael Burton from the practice squad on Wednesday.

Following those moves, here’s how the depth chart stands going into Week 11. Keep in mind that more transactions could be on deck later in the week.

Broncos offensive depth chart

WR Marvin Mims Troy Franklin
LT Garett Bolles Matt Peart
LG Ben Powers Calvin Throckmorton
C Luke Wattenberg Alex Forsyth
RG Quinn Meinerz Alex Palczewski
RT Mike McGlinchey Frank Crum
TE Adam Trautman Greg Dulcich Lucas Krull
WR Courtland Sutton Lil’Jordan Humphrey Devaughn Vele
RB Javonte Williams Jaleel McLaughlin Audric Estime
FB Michael Burton Nate Adkins
QB Bo Nix Jarrett Stidham Zach Wilson

Broncos defensive depth chart

DE Zach Allen Jordan Jackson
NT D.J. Jones Malcolm Roach
DE John Franklin-Myers Eyioma Uwazurike
SLB Jonathon Cooper Jonah Elliss
WLB Nik Bonitto Dondrea Tillman
ILB Justin Strnad Levelle Bailey
ILB Cody Barton Levelle Bailey
LCB Pat Surtain Levi Wallace Tremon Smith
RCB Riley Moss Damarri Mathis Kris Abrams-Draine
NCB Ja’Quan McMillian
S P.J. Locke JL Skinner
S Brandon Jones Devon Key

Broncos special teams depth chart

PK Wil Lutz
KO Wil Lutz
P Riley Dixon
H Riley Dixon
LS Mitchell Fraboni
KR Marvin Mims Tremon Smith Jaleel McLaughlin
PR Marvin Mims Tremon Smith

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on Fox (view the TV map). Playing at home, the Broncos are considered slight favorites this week.

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Broncos coach Sean Payton ‘felt sick’ watching film of blocked field goal

“I felt sick watching it,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of the blocked field goal. “I felt like, ‘Hey that’s on us [coaches].’”

After the Kansas City Chiefs broke through Alex Forsyth’s protection to block a field goal and beat the Denver Broncos on Sunday, the offensive lineman faced intense criticism from both fans and pundits.

Broncos coach Sean Payton came to Forsyth’s defense by saying the block was on the coaching staff, not a single player. Denver quarterback Bo Nix also gave a passionate response to the Forsyth backlash on Wednesday, and other teammates (and even ex-Broncos) have had the lineman’s back.

Payton reiterated on Wednesday that it was primarily a coaching mistake.

“I think it’s just — I felt sick watching it,” Payton said. “I felt like, ‘Hey that’s on us.’ In other words, technique and then also, “Are we asking the right players to do the right things?’ [Offensive line coach] Zach Strief played forever in that position and he’s someone after watching it — every one of us felt as coaches that we let the players down and we needed to see that and correct that. That’s difficult when that happens. You as a coach … that’s how we felt.”

Forsyth and Denver’s field goal unit will look to play a clean game when the Broncos host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11. There’s no doubt that all eyes will be on Forsyth the next time Denver lines up to attempt a field goal.

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Broncos OLB Nik Bonitto has ‘made the leap’ as a pass rusher

Broncos pass rusher Nik Bonitto leads the team with seven sacks this season. “He’s really helped us,” coach Sean Payton said.

After giving outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper a four-year contract extension earlier this month, the Denver Broncos will have another pass rusher due for a big raise before long.

Nik Bonitto, the team’s second-round pick out of Oklahoma in 2022, leads the team with seven sacks this fall and he’s on pace for the first double-digit sack season of his career after totaling eight sacks in 2023.

“He’s certainly made the leap,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said Monday. “He’s getting more snaps. He’s getting more pass-rush snaps. I think the key for Nik was playing the run and running at him. He’s at the right weight now.

“He’s a guy that plays with real good bend. He can bend and torque his body. He has a lot in the tank relative to his pass rush, and what he wants to do and how to set somebody up. He’s really helped us.”

Bonitto (7.0) and Cooper (6.5) have been a dynamic edge duo for Denver this season, and interior defensive linemen Zach Allen (5.0) and John Franklin-Myers (5.0) have boosted the unit’s totals. Through ten weeks, the Broncos rank second in the NFL with 35 sacks.

Bonitto has one more year left on his contract before becoming a free agent in 2025. He’s well on his way to getting a big extension like Cooper.

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