New Broncos head coach Sean Payton was convinced of the team owners’ seriousness about joining the Denver organization.
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“This was the opportunity I was looking for,” he told NOLA Media Group on Wednesday. [Les Broncos] have an excellent following and a long tradition. The community of owners is fantastic and I liked how the team behaved in a lot of games last year.”
“The mindset of the owners was high on my list and I was impressed by how much they want to be successful.”
On Tuesday, Payton became the 20th head coach in Broncos history. In order to maintain his services, the club entered into a transaction with the New Orleans Saints, who still owned the rights to the 59-year-old.
The Broncos therefore traded a first-round pick in 2023 and a second-round pick from the following auction to get their hands on the coach, as well as a third-round pick in 2024.
Payton had tendered his resignation from the New Orleans club in January 2022, stating it was time for him to move on to a different phase in his life. He led the Saints from 2006 to 2021, going 152-89 which led his roster to Super Bowl victory in the 2009 season.
For their part, the Broncos showed head coach Nathaniel Hackett the way out on Dec. 26. He led the team for just 15 games and maintained a poor record of 4-11.