Sean Payton’s Hidden Plan to Hire Bill Belichick

The Behind‑the‑Scenes Story on Denver’s 2026 Playoffs

ESPN’s Seth Wickersham released a lengthy story on Tuesday about Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton and the franchise’s playoff run last season. The article peels back the curtain on the weeks leading up to the 2026 AFC Divisional Round against the Buffalo Bills and the AFC Championship Game versus the New England Patriots. Fans get a rare look at the game‑week mentality and the inner workings of a playoff‑bound team.

Payton, Belichick and the Unspoken Hire Idea

The piece also highlights Payton’s long‑standing relationship with former Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who served on Bill Parcells’ staff at different times. Both have been NFL head coaches for more than 15 years each, and Belichick left New England after the 2023 season with a career total of 333 wins. According to Wickersham, Payton once imagined approaching Broncos owner Greg Penner to bring Belichick in as head coach until he reached 15 wins.

That hypothetical arrangement would have pushed Belichick to 348 career victories, surpassing Don Shula’s all‑time record. In this scenario, Payton would have acted as assistant head coach and later taken over once the win target was met. He ultimately decided the plan was too convoluted and more wishful thinking than practical.

The idea never surfaced in any formal conversation, and the timeline for Belichick to rack up those wins remains speculative. Even if the proposal had moved forward, there would have been numerous logistical hurdles and uncertainty about how long Payton would have stayed in a supporting role. The concept, while bold, simply did not gain traction.

Since the speculative hire never happened, Belichick transitioned out of the NFL and took the head‑coaching job at the University of North Carolina, where he is now in his second season. The story underscores how quickly coaching landscapes can shift and the delicate negotiations that happen behind closed doors. It also offers a glimpse into the unconventional ideas that swirl in league corridors.