You could make an argument that Sean Payton built a Hall of Fame career solely based on what he did with the New Orleans Saints. Along with Drew Brees, Payton helped orchestrate one of the best stretches of offense seen in NFL history. Pair that with a Super Bowl victory and you have a strong case for Canton. Payton is looking to end the debating with his second run in Denver, and a victory Sunday would go a long way to accomplishing that.
Payton is a win away from joining a rare list and two wins away from standing alone in NFL history. There's only a select few coaches who have made it to the Super Bowl with two different teams. It would put him next to coaches like Andy Reid, Don Shula and Payton's mentor, Bill Parcells, among others.
None of those coaches were able win with both teams. Parcells was the only one of the trio to win the Super Bowl with his first team. Payton won his first Super Bowl appearance but a second trip has eluded him. No need to go down a memory lane of heartbreaks that have kept Payton away from the Super Bowl in years' past.
Odds are stacked against Sean Paytons vs the Patriots
May have to add Bo Nix's health to the list if the Broncos lose. As if making it to the Super Bowl wasn’t hard enough, Payton will have to do it without Bo Nix. The starting quarterback suffered a fractured ankle at the end of the Broncos' win versus the Buffalo Bills. Nix finished the game, but Payton revealed the injury shortly after the game.
Nix has been has flashed the clutch gene on multiple occasions in 2025. He's led countless game winning drives and did it again in the Broncos' lone playoff game. These games tend to come down to the wire, and Nix excels in those moments.
Instead, the Broncos will go into battle with Jarrett Stidham. On top of that, the Patriots have a pretty good defense. That'll make it even harder for Stidham. The Broncos, luckily, have a good defense themselves. The best hope for Denver is to make this a defensive game.
Regardless of how Denver wins, it would put Payton in rarefied air. It would be just another feather in the cap of Payton's Hall of Fame career.