Sean Payton: My 'Instincts' Pushed Me to Take Broncos HC Job over Cardinals

Sean Payton may have chosen the Denver Broncos over the Arizona Cardinals to make his return to coaching, but he's making it abundantly clear that the decision did not come because of a distaste for Kyler Murray.

"My instincts were pushing me in a direction with Denver," Payton said on Up & Adams (around the three-minute mark). "When the process began 9 a.m. L.A. time on the 17th—that's the first day I could interview—there they were."

Payton's former Fox colleague, Terry Bradshaw, got the coach in some hot water this week by saying Payton did not want to work with Murray.

The Broncos sent the No. 29 overall pick in the 2023 draft and their 2024 second-round pick to New Orleans in exchange for the Saints allowing Payton out of his contract. Payton went 152-89 in 15 seasons with the Saints, making the playoffs nine times and winning Super Bowl XLIV.

Denver management went all in on making a splash at the head-coaching position after making a disastrous hire in Nathaniel Hackett last offseason. Hackett was fired just 15 games into his head-coaching tenure, going 4-11 for a Broncos team that some expected to be a Super Bowl contender. The Broncos offense stalled under the former Packers offensive coordinator, who failed to mesh with Russell Wilson and spent much of his time struggling with basics like clock management.

"There's certain things you learn from experience," Payton told reporters this week. "I played quarterback, I think that helps, but also, I was around some really good [coaches] … I became more and more comfortable [over time]. ... I don't anticipate the crowd having to count down the 30-second clock."

The Cardinals are yet to make their head-coaching hire after going hard after Payton to replace Kliff Kingsbury. Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen appears to be the favorite for that position.

While neither the Cardinals nor the Broncos job was particularly a slam dunk, it's easy to see why Payton chose Denver. Arizona faces uncertainty across its roster at several positions and will likely be without Murray until midway through the 2023 season while he recovers from a torn ACL.

Wilson had a down 2022 but is a bonafide future Hall of Famer who doesn't turn 35 until November. Given how many quarterbacks have had significant success deep into their 30s, Payton should have more than enough time to turn Wilson's trajectory around and compete at the top of the AFC West.