Broncos, coach Sean Payton agree to new five-year deal

DENVER - Sean Payton is staying in Denver long-term.

The Broncos head coach agreed on a new five-year deal with the club, the team announced Thursday.

Payton, 62, is entering his fourth year as Denver's head coach. His initial contract ran through the 2027 season. Now, with a Super Bowl contender built and coming off a run to the AFC championship game, Payton gets a new five-year deal that runs through the 2030 season.

The new contract ties Payton with general manager George Paton, who got a new contract of his own through the 2030 season earlier this spring.

"Sean Payton has led an impressive turnaround over the past three seasons, instilling a winning culture with high expectations," Broncos owner and CEO Greg Penner said in a statement announcing the deal. "I appreciate the close partnership he shares with George Paton along with the alignment and stability across our football operations.

"We're thrilled for Sean to continue leading our team as head coach, building on our progress during such an exciting time for the Broncos."

Payton took over a team that had lost its way for nearly a decade since Peyton Manning retired after Super Bowl 50. He went 8-9 in his first season, made the decision to take on a record $85 million in dead cap to cut quarterback Russell Wilson and then engineered a 10-7 season that resulted in a wild-card playoff berth with rookie Bo Nix at quarterback in 2024.

Last fall, the Broncos broke through with a 14-3 regular-season record, powered by an 11-game winning streak. They won in the postseason for the first time since their last Super Bowl year, beating Buffalo in overtime in the AFC divisional round. Then Denver lost at home to New England in the AFC championship game without Nix, who fractured his ankle against Buffalo.

Payton was believed to be one of the highest-paid head coaches in the NFL on his initial contract in Denver and almost certainly will continue to be, though his exact salary on the new deal was not immediately known.

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This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 5:39 PM.