at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on September 14, 2014 in Denver, Colorado.
The Denver Broncos are in need of a new day, and head coach Sean Payton is looking to bring that, starting with an attitude adjustment.
Sean Payton knows he needs to change things up. And he’s doing so swiftly with the Denver Broncos.
Payton, who was formally introduced as the new head coach with the Broncos on Monday, spoke to reporters about how he plans to rebuild what has become one of the NFL’s most inept franchises. While Payton talked about a litany of topics, one of the main themes was the mental adjustment players would have to make within the building. Per ESPN.com:
“You have law and order, as Bill [Parcells] would say … you come in with this is how we’re going to teach, this is how we’re going to meet, this is how we’re going to practice. … Every year in our league there have been great plans with noble thoughts and a lot of enthusiasm that don’t have success. … Discipline, toughness, and football makeup is going to be real important for who is a Denver Bronco. There is an element of discipline, there is an element of toughness and, look, it’s not for everyone.”
After finishing 4-13 this season, Denver made a change by hiring Payton to replace Nathaniel Hackett, who lasted only 15 games before being fired. While the climb in the AFC West is a long one considering where the Kansas City Chiefs are in their age of Patrick Mahomes, the Broncos are hoping to start with climbing out of the basement.
However, even with Payton, it won’t be easy. Denver doesn’t have first- or second-round picks and the cap situation is strained considering Wilson is about to start making $45 million per year starting in 2024 when his extension kicks in. Considering all this, Payton will need to find much better play out of quarterback Russell Wilson, while general manager George Paton unearths some quality talent in the latter rounds of April’s draft.
For Denver and Payton, the easy start is to talk about making change and then implementing some of the tenets. The hard part is being patient enough to see it all through, especially with a flawed roster and a quarterback who nobody is sure can be fixed.
Payton is a great first step in Denver. Now for the toughest part: winning.