Sean Payton Makes Feelings Clear on Davis Webb
Broncos HC Sean Payton seems to leave door open to major play-calling change 1
Sean Payton faced the play-calling question on Sunday, after a 24-14 loss to the 49ers dropped the Broncos to 2-2 and left them two games behind the unbeaten Chiefs in the AFC West.
Payton handed the call sheet to first-year offensive coordinator Davis Webb this offseason. It was the first time in his head-coaching career that someone else would call plays full time.
“I would only do that if I felt like it would help our team,” Payton said at the scouting combine in February. He then set a hands-off tone: “I think that I want to do everything that I can to support him. So we’re not going to sit and grade his play-calling each week, at least hopefully we’re not.”
Sean Payton Makes Feelings Clear on Davis WebbSean Payton Makes Feelings Clear on Davis Webb
Oct 4, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton on the sidelines during a game against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Webb spent three seasons as Denver’s quarterbacks coach before the promotion. It came after Joe Lombardi was let go following the Broncos’ 10-7 loss to New England in last season’s AFC Championship Game. Payton had called the plays himself in his first three seasons in Denver and for 15 seasons in New Orleans.
When asked postgame about making a change to that arrangement, Payton said: “Yeah, like I said, that’s too early to. It’s a fair question. I appreciate it, and man, it’s tough to discuss any of that right now.”
When the question came back around he kind of widened it: “To your original question, each game we look at everything and that’s kind of how we’ll approach this one,” he said. In February, the hope was that nobody would grade Webb’s play-calling every week. Payton had two chances on Sunday to say Webb would keep calling plays and used neither.
Sean Payton weighs in on the play-calling situation for the 2-2 Broncos https://t.co/07xzd9qOOc
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 5, 2026
How slow have the Broncos started under Davis Webb?
Denver scored seven first-half points at Kansas City in Week 1, three against Jacksonville and none against the Rams. It had three at halftime yesterday, for a four-game total of 13. The Broncos came back to beat the Jaguars and Rams, the second with help from an officiating error the NFL later acknowledged. Against San Francisco, Denver had six points through 55 minutes.
He was asked how Bo Nix is feeling, Payton said: “Fair question, I’m sure frustrated … Getting into a one-dimensional game, I’m sure frustrated.” He added a few moments later: “A number of us are frustrated, right?”
Dec 3, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Quarterback coach Davis Webb talks to Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) during a Houston Texans timeout in the second quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Payton’s 18 seasons of calling his own offense make him the obvious fallback. That keeps the question alive for as long as the first halves look like this.
“We’ve had some opportunities, but there are a handful of things that aren’t clicking. And we gotta figure it out fast, because we’re going into Week 5,” Payton said.
Without mistake, this offense has yet to score more than seven points in a first half this season.