Denver Broncos assistant coach Willie Snead IV is unmoved by some of the many blockbuster trade deadline deals of the day. He has since attempted to tone down his rhetoric, but the internet is forever.
Snead was reacting to the Jacksonville Jaguars’ trades before the deadline, including adding defensive tackles Davon Godchaux and Jordan Davis.
The Broncos defeated the Jaguars 20-13 in Week 2.
“They still can’t beat us w/ those trades,” Snead posted on X in a since-deleted message on November 10. “By the time they see (if they see us) we’ll be able to do the same thing if not better.. like SP [head coach Sean Payton] said, ‘We love what we have!’”
After deleting that post, Snead returned with a set of messages. Each had a much different tone but still expressed the same sentiments.
“Trust the product that we’ve built [“100” and black heart emojis],” Snead posted.
In another post, Snead said, “Keep the blinders on & headphones over your ears [headphones emoji] #LockediN [padlock emoji],” and in a third, he cited the latest milestone his young son had recently surpassed.
The Jaguars trades inherently come with significant risks, but standing pat can also be risky for teams in a window of contention.
Broncos Willie Snead IV Deletes Trade Deadline Message
Snead’s actions may have ruffled Payton’s feathers. That is, if the news even reached the Broncos head coach.
“Snead, 34, played wide receiver for Payton with the New Orleans Saints from 2014 to 2017. He joined Payton’s staff as a coach in March, and hasn’t been shy about his expectations for the club. Snead tweeted former teammate Terron Armstead on Monday and said he wanted to appear on Armstead’s podcast ‘after we win the Super Bowl this year,’” Broncos Wire’s Jon Heath wrote on November 10, reporting on the backtracking effort.
“Payton prefers his players to keep a low profile on social media during the season, and he probably feels similarly about his coaching staff. That said, Snead is clearly confident in the Broncos’ outlook, even if they don’t make any trades ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.”
The Broncos made one deadline trade, acquiring linebacker Daiyan Henley from the Los Angeles Chargers.
It was not due to a lack of effort from Payton and general manager George Paton, though.
“Sources: The #Broncos and #Giants were among the teams interested in trading for #Titans RB Tony Pollard,” The Schultz Report’s Jordan Schultz reported on X on November 10, adding that “Tennessee was adamant for weeks that they were unlikely to move him, as he’s been vital to the locker room and the continued development of Cam Ward.”
Broncos’ Outlook Post-Trade Deadline
The Broncos are 7-2 and in second place in the AFC. They are just one game behind the Buffalo Bills for the top spot in the conference.
Buffalo also swung a trade before the deadline, acquiring safety Amani Hooker from the Tennessee Titans. The Broncos will face the Bills in Week 15. That matchup could go a long way toward deciding the No. 1 overall seed in the NFL playoffs, not just the conference.
Additionally, the Broncos will close out the regular season against the Chargers.
It remains to be seen if the Broncos and Jaguars will clash in the postseason. A matchup would have to wait until the second round if they hold on to their respective division leads.
Denver Broncos Assistant Coach Goes Rogue After Risky Blockbuster Trade