George Paton, Broncos Agree to New 5-Year Contract After AFC Title Game Run, Division Title

The Denver Broncos signed general manager George Paton to a new five-year contract, the team announced on Friday.

"We are pleased to announce a new five-year contract for George Paton that reflects our confidence in his leadership, vision and the overall direction of our team," owner Greg Penner said. "As our general manager, George has demonstrated a strong commitment toward building a winning roster while forming a collaborative and supportive partnership with Sean Payton.

"I've enjoyed working with George over the last four seasons and appreciate the alignment we share in positioning the Broncos for sustained success."

Paton had an inauspicious start to his tenure in 2021. The Broncos went 7-10 that year, and the following offseason is when they acquired Russell Wilson and hired Nathaniel Hackett as coach.

There was a perception that Hackett's arrival would lure Aaron Rodgers to the Mile High City, only for him to stay put on the Green Bay Packers. Hackett didn't even last a full year on the job, and acquiring Wilson was an expensive mistake in terms of how much Denver gave up and the five-year, $245 million extension the veteran quarterback received.

Paton deftly pivoted to a total reset, though. Hiring Sean Payton in 2023 was a home run, and the Broncos have been vindicated in reaching for Bo Nix with the No. 12 pick in the 2024 draft.

This past year, Denver reached the AFC championship game using a formula that resulted in the franchise's last Super Bowl title in 2015. The defense performed at an elite level, while the offense did its part to manage games.

Maybe things regress a bit in 2026 after a 14-3 finish. The Broncos tied for the conference's best record but had the fifth-best point differential (plus-90).

The AFC West might be a little tougher, too, with the Kansas City Chiefs regrouping and the Las Vegas Raiders spending big to improve the supporting cast around No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.

But it's hard to argue with what Paton and Payton have done last few years. Especially with the GM working on an expiring contract, it was important to get that business done now.