Sean Payton reportedly has unique control over Denver Broncos, with an unusual amount of power for a head coach
The first year of the Sean Payton era with the Denver Broncos taught us who wears the pants in the organization. Despite being a Super Bowl-winning quarterback on a $242 million contract, it’s not Russell Wilson.
Coach Payton may own a Super Bowl ring, but he also managed a defense that was eventually suspended and fined for the BountyGate, and he had Drew Brees toss darts with incredible precision.
Payton is back in charge of the Broncos, though, and he wants to make history by being the first NFL head coach to win a Super Bowl while coaching two separate teams. Except for Bill Belichick, most head coaches don’t have total authority over the front office. Typically, a general manager is in charge of overseeing roster choices and hiring/firing.
Apparently, the Broncos have a unique structure with Coach Payton.
Does head coach Sean Payton have the authority to remove general manager?
The “final say” on whether general manager George Paton stays in Denver or quits, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, rests with Payton. In 2021, Paton was employed with the Broncos. He made a move for Wilson a year later. Payton was employed by him a year later. It may all go apart now.
Payton is one of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches, so it’s not surprising to hear that he has more influence than others in the league, even though the system is quite rare if the allegation is accurate.
