Newly implemented Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton had a strong message to his players ahead of the 2023 season — and James Palmer shared on April 11 during an appearance on the NFL Network what the Super Bowl XLIV-winning coach imparted.
“(Payton) believes that these players obviously have taken it from every single angle physically, mentally, and through the media and everything that went wrong last year,” Palmer said. “He wants to close that chapter, and he wants to move forward, telling them, ‘Now is the time that they’re gonna roll up their sleeves and they’re gonna get to work.’ And he mentioned that it’s going to be difficult.”
Mile High Huddle’s Chad Jensen provided context to Palmer’s anecdote of the 59-year-old.
“What exactly does Payton mean by “difficult?” We heard Payton himself say this over the weekend,” Jensen prefaced before saying, “After taking it easy last offseason, in many ways, and skipping over some of the most rigorous aspects of training and football conditioning in what the previous coaching regime called an “overabundance of caution,” Payton is eliminating as many possible distractions as possible, and putting the players through the refiner’s fire with new strength and conditioning coach Dan Dalrymple.”
Sean Payton ‘Puts Kybosh’ on Broncos Media Coverage
As Jensen explains, Payton is hoping to give as few eyeballs as possible from the media a look at the new-look Broncos.
“Although Broncos Country was excited to hopefully hear more from Coach Payton, quarterback Russell Wilson, and others this week, according to 9NEWS‘ Mike Klis, that’s not going to happen,” Jensen wrote. “Payton has put the kybosh on unfettered media access and will limit what exposure his team and players have to press scrutiny.”
It’s taken a few reporters “going to great lengths” in order to get any information from Denver’s offseason training whatsoever.
“So while fans might be deprived of hearing from coaches and players this week, which is a departure from the way the last few regimes operated, a few Broncos insiders have gone to lengths to provide insight on what’s actually going on at UCHealth Training Center,” Jensen wrote.
Sean Payton Excited About Diverse Coaching Staff
Payton’s first Broncos coaching staff will be one with coordinators, position coaches, and other support staff members of varying ages and levels of experience — and on March 27th at the annual NFL owners meeting, the first-year Denver head coach explained why he treasures that.
“I think one of the things we did a pretty good job with on our staff — you can think of diversity in a lot of different ways,” Payton said. “We certainly, I think, have done a good job there, but there’s also a good mix of younger coaches and veteran coaches, that I think are important. We’re excited about that.”
Both offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and defensive coordinator — and former Denver Broncos head coach — Vance Joseph have 17 years of coaching experience, but position coaches such as Zach Strief (offensive line) and Davis Webb (quarterbacks) have two years and no experience, respectively.
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Sean Payton Sends Hopeful Message to Broncos About 2023 Season