See where Sean Payton ranks among NFL’s best head coaches

Sean Payton came to turn around and lead the Denver Broncos when he signed on as the head coach in 2023. And that he did, taking the Broncos to the AFC Championship game last season. Within three years, he made the Broncos a Super Bowl contender while further stamping his Hall of Fame credentials.

Patrick Daugherty of NBC Sports most recently compiled a ranking of the 32 NFL head coaches, and Payton has vaulted into the top five, landing as the fifth-best coach in the league. Daugherty explains why in an excerpt below.

“Sean Payton didn’t need to prove anything," Daugherty wrote for NBC Sports. "He’s done so anyways. The last of the Parcells disciples, Payton had a .631 winning percentage with the Saints. It’s .620 with the Broncos. It’s actually .666 since his infamous 70-20 loss to Mike McDaniel’s Dolphins in Week 3 of the 2023 season. That was Payton’s wake-up call. He’s been wide-eyed ever since.”

The Broncos are primed for another deep playoff run in 2026. If the Broncos can get it done, don’t be surprised if Payton becomes the top coach in the rankings going into 2027.

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