Denver Secures Deal to Bring in Legendary Coach Sean Payton
"Sean Payton is a standout leader and Super Bowl champion with a fantastic offensive mindset. His passion aligns with our mission to bring a championship to the Broncos, and we're thrilled to welcome him as our new head coach," shared Greg Penner, Broncos owner and CEO, in a statement.
Known for guiding the Saints to a Super Bowl title in 2010 and helming the team for over 15 years, Payton announced his retirement as head coach after the 2021 season. However, since he was still under contract with New Orleans, the Broncos needed to strike a deal to secure Payton's services.
"Securing a head coach of Sean's caliber is a rarity in every sport, and we applaud the Saints for the exceptional approach they took in this process," Penner added.
According to the announcement by the Saints, the deal includes Denver sending their first-round pick in 2023, their second-round pick in 2024, and the Saints' third-round pick in 2024 to New Orleans in exchange for Payton and the Saints' third-round pick in 2024.
"I'm excited for us, I'm excited for Sean," shared Jeff Ireland, the Saints' deputy general manager, on Wednesday.
"I'm leading the draft so our staff and team can have more picks. It's exciting. So I'm looking forward to getting a bit more action in the first round. I think that's a really good compensation."
Payton will be replacing Nathaniel Hackett, who was relieved of his duties as NFL head coach after leading the team to just four wins in 15 games in his first season. The Broncos ended the 2022 season with a 5-12 record.
The Broncos will officially introduce Payton as their 20th head coach on Monday.
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The Broncos must negotiate a deal with the Saints to secure Payton's services, as he is still under contract with New Orleans. The Broncos will officially introduce Payton as their new head coach on Monday.
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Note: The trade or hiring of Sean Payton as the Denver Broncos' head coach was not a trade between the Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints. Instead, it was a direct hiring by the Denver Broncos. Sean Payton, who previously coached the New Orleans Saints, was brought in by the Broncos to be their head coach in 2023. This move was part of a broader transformation of the team, including changes in ownership and quarterback.
There is no mention of a trade involving players or assets between the Broncos and Saints in the context of hiring Sean Payton as the head coach. The focus has been on how Payton has been integrating his former players and staff into the Broncos organization, such as hiring Darren Rizzi as the special teams coordinator and potentially acquiring or signing players like Taysom Hill and Juwan Johnson.
