Sean Payton‘s been the Broncos head coach for just over two years now. That means he’s spent a lot of time in front of microphones talking about his team, his philosophy and, well, a lot of other topics, too.
He can be tremendously insightful and curiously curt. Sometimes he takes questions for 30-plus minutes and sometimes he’s in no mood. Along the way, he occasionally lets on to stuff — football-related or otherwise — that he likes and other things he very much does not. Wins good and losses bad? That’s boring.
Here’s a look at more interesting likes and dislikes Payton’s outlined at the podium in his time on the Front Range.
Sean Payton loves
Jeni’s ice cream: The affinity dates to at least the blown pass interference call that cost Payton and the Saints a trip to the Super Bowl in 2019. Afterward he said he coped by retreating to “my cave.” “I sat and probably didn’t come out of my room, ate and watched Netflix for three straight days,” Payton added then.
Lululemon: Payton’s appeared in commercials for the athleisure powerhouse alongside golfing buddy and hockey GOAT Wayne Gretzky. In one 90-second spot that also featured wide receiver DK Metcalf, all Payton had to do was look up from his putter and shake his head. Pretty good day at the office.
Podcasts: Before the 2024 draft, Payton made a mention of hearing Bill Belichick on a podcast talking about draft boards, which led general manager George Paton to crack, “I probably don’t listen to as many podcasts as Sean, but itap good to have a pulse on the league.” Worked out pretty well, as the Broncos landed Bo Nix at No. 12 overall a week later.
Private workouts: Many of the stories Payton recalls about draft season are about private workouts and visits. A dinner with Tennessee players when he was in the process of falling in love with Alvin Kamara, different QBs he’s seen over time and, of course, a March 2024 visit with Bo Nix. Obviously there’s business to attend to, but Paton said Payton’s in his element on such trips. “We’ve been on the road. Itap always fun, as you can probably imagine.”
The Greenbrier: No surprise here. Payton helped design the football facility at the five-star resort in West Virginia and it is one of his happy places. When the Broncos practiced there for a week last fall, Payton’s mood soared. “He was beaming on the golf cart when we got here, driving around the grounds,” Broncos senior VP of operations Chip Conway said then.
Trading up: In New Orleans, 22 of the 25 trades Payton’s Saints made during the draft were to move up. During his first draft cycle in Denver, he shrugged at the notion of not having a ton of capital and said it was easy to generate more picks if you need to. He and Paton have done so a couple of times in Denver, too, moving up for Marvin Mims Jr. and Riley Moss in 2023, for Troy Franklin in 2024 and for Sai’vion Jones this spring.
Quarterbacks who don’t get sacked often: He has one now.
Sean Payton hates
Sushi: After the Broncos beat Green Bay in Week 7 2023, Payton the next day lamented his inability to enjoy the win — even though it ended up kicking off a run of five straight. “I’m driving home last night, headed to get sushi. I don’t like sushi,” Payton said. “And I find myself circling in the parking lot, like, ‘Alright, why can’t I be happy?’”
Gilligan hats and sunglasses: When asked what he wanted to see from Broncos starters on the sideline after they exited the team’s first preseason game of his tenure in 2023, Payton responded, “Itap probably just as easy to answer the question as to what I don’t want to see. … I don’t want to see uniforms off after we’re done playing, sunglasses on and Gilligan hats on and interviews during the game.”
‘Little internet shows’: At a recent news conference Payton was understandably perplexed by a question about “reports” that Nix had spent time working with Drew Brees in the offseason after he himself told reporters about the quarterback’s trip to San Diego. Payton responded, “It wasn’t reported. I stated it three days ago. Gosh, your own little internet shows are driving me nuts.”
The Big 12 Combine: The conference’s prospect showcase caught a stray from Payton this spring when he was discussing the evaluation process on seventh-round TE Caleb Lohner, who only played 52 snaps of college football at Utah after mostly playing hoops. “I’m not a big fan of the Big 12 Pro Day because a player like him gets six routes instead of 20 that he would get at his own Pro Day,” Payton said. “So hopefully thatap going away.”
Spring NFL owners meetings: And, more broadly, the league’s competition committee. Payton served on that for several years but grew frustrated with the lack of impact he felt from participating. He summed up his approach to the spring fling this year when asked about a tweak to the kickoff rule. “Once we vote on that, time to go back to the mountains,” he said.
Trading back: Paton joked that he was going to have a cake ready for Payton on the day when he finally traded back in the draft. Then they did it back-to-back in the second round this spring before selecting RB RJ Harvey. Said Paton, “I’d like to open by congratulating Sean for his first trade back since 2006. We had two trade backs — and we almost had three — but that was a good day.” Payton’s wired to target players in the draft and go get them. This year, he let Harvey come to him.
Quarterbacks who get sacked a lot: He used to have one.
