Sean Payton's Wild Plan for Bill Belichick to Break Don Shula's NFL All-Time Wins Record Revealed

Based on a plan concocted by Sean Payton, there could have been a world in which he briefly acted as an assistant for the Denver Broncos with Bill Belichick as head coach.

Per ESPN's Seth Wickersham, Payton had an idea that never came to fruition entering the 2024 season in which Belichick would have stepped in as head coach long enough to surpass Don Shula's NFL record for most wins:

"When Belichick and the Patriots divorced in 2024, Payton considered presenting Broncos owner Greg Penner a proposal for the ages: Hire Belichick as head coach until he reached 15 wins, enough to break Don Shula's career record of 347. Payton would temporarily step down to assistant head coach and run the offense, then move back after Belichick became the all-time leader. In the end, it was too complicated — and maybe too fanciful."

Belichick left the New England Patriots in a mutual parting of ways in January 2024 after 24 seasons together. He has a career record of 333-178 in 29 years as an NFL head coach, including his tenure with the Cleveland Browns from 1991 to '95.

Shula is the all-time leader in career wins for an NFL head coach with 347 between the regular season and playoffs.

At the time Belichick left the Patriots, Payton had just finished his first season with the Broncos in which they went 8-9. His debut year was defined more by his what appeared to be a frequently-tense relationship with Russell Wilson.

It didn't appear Belichick was going to be out of the NFL very long initially. He was considered a frontrunner for the Atlanta Falcons after having two interviews with the club, but they pivoted to hire Raheem Morris.

After sitting out the 2024 season, Belichick returned to coaching in December 2024 when he was hired by North Carolina. He led the Tar Heels to a 4-8 record in his first year.

There has been no indication in the two years since he interviewed with the Falcons that NFL teams have pursued Belichick.

Payton and Belichick share a connection through Bill Parcells, who both of them worked for prior to becoming NFL head coaches. Belichick and Parcells first worked together in 1979 on the staff for the New York Giants.

Parcells hired Payton as his assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach with the Dallas Cowboys in 2003.

Assuming things for the Broncos would have played out exactly as they have over the past two seasons in this imagined scenario by Payton, Belichick would have reached the 15-win mark in Week 7 last season.

The Broncos finished 10-7 in 2024, then tied for the most wins in the NFL with 14 in 2025. They reached the AFC Championship Game against Belichick's former team, losing to the Patriots 10-7.