Broncos, Sean Payton agree to five-year contract extension
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton looks on after a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Empower Field in 2025. Justin Edmonds / Getty Images
The Denver Broncos and Sean Payton have reached agreement on a five-year contract extension, the team announced Thursday. The new deal keeps Payton in Denver through 2030.
Payton, 62, led the Broncos to a 14-3 record and a berth in the AFC Championship Game last season. The Broncos have made the playoffs in each of the last two seasons under Payton, breaking a nine-year postseason drought that ran from 2016 to 2023, Payton’s first season in Denver.
The move to extend Payton ties him for the foreseeable future with general manager George Paton, who was signed to a four-year extension by Greg Penner and the team’s ownership group last month.
“I think the partnership they’ve created and how they work together, it’s very complementary,” Penner said in January of his coach and GM.
The Broncos went 8-9 during Payton’s first season, but they drafted Bo Nix in the first round in the following NFL Draft and the quarterback’s 24 victories since then are tied for the most in NFL history by a QB in his first two seasons.
“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,” Penner said in a statement Thursday.
“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.” – Owner & CEO Greg Penner
We have signed Head Coach Sean Payton to a new five-year contract through the 2030 season »… pic.twitter.com/bi6c1hLIcE
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) June 11, 2026
This story will be updated.
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