Sean Payton Gives Up Playcalling for 2026 NFL Season, Who Will Run Broncos Offense?

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton revealed to reporters on Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis that offensive coordinator Davis Webb will call plays for the team next season.

Payton has coached the New Orleans Saints for 15 years and the Broncos for three years, and he's been his team's playcaller during that entire time.

Chase Daniel, who was a backup quarterback for New Orleans and played under Payton in 2010, 2011 and 2017, had this to say about Payton giving up playcalling responsibilities.

So this presents a major shift for the Broncos, who parted ways with offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi after the 2025 season. They then promoted the 31-year-old Webb, who was hired as the team's quarterbacks coach in 2023 before adding offensive pass game coordinator duties in 2025.

Payton provided more context behind the decision, per NFL insider James Palmer.

"Sean Payton said he was already moving toward giving up playcalling midseason this year," Palmer wrote. "He only felt that way because there was someone good enough to take it over. Webb is and Payton trusts him. And also Payton felt speed and being quicker played a part as well in wanting to make a change."

Payton will still be involved in the offense, however.

Webb appears to be on the fast track to being a head coach. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, he spoke with the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens this offseason. He also withdrew his name for consideration for the Las Vegas Raiders' head coaching job.

Becoming an offensive coordinator and a playcaller is the next step in that process, but this could be a great win for the Broncos as well. He's clearly well-respected around the league, and Payton has that same respect for Webb.

Webb, who played at Texas Tech and Cal, was selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft by the New York Giants. He played for the Giants, New York Jets and Buffalo Bills as a backup before heading back to the G-Men.

In his final regular season game, Webb got his first-ever start. He threw for 168 yards and a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles to close the 2022 campaign for New York.

About a month-and-a-half later, Payton hired Webb to the Broncos' quarterbacks coach and help round out his staff in his first year in Denver.

Webb's on the coaching fast track in the NFL, and now he's leading the offense for a team that just went 14-3 and earned the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed.

Denver nearly got to the Super Bowl but fell 10-7 to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game with starting quarterback Bo Nix sidelined due to a broken right ankle.

Nix will be back in 2026, and Webb will be calling his plays as Denver looks to take the next step to the Super Bowl.