Most people would consider it a very bold move for former Saints coach Sean Payton even to ponder walking away from a winning program, yet it appears he almost did. Long before the Denver Broncos were one of the premier teams in the AFC, the Saints’ former coach considered and offered a bombshell proposal that included former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, a move that might have changed the NFL coaching landscape. It did not work out, but it is pretty remarkable to think about what else could have happened with the Broncos.
Former Saints Coach Conjures Up Unprecedented Proposal
According to ESPN’s Seth Wickersham, the former Saints coach seriously contemplated the unprecedented proposal after Belichick and the Patriots parted ways in 2024.
“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.”
On the surface, the idea sounds almost impossible to believe. NFL head coaches are among the most competitive people in sports, and voluntarily giving up the top job, even for a short time, is virtually unheard of. Yet the proposal also says a great deal about Payton’s respect for Belichick and his appreciation for the history of the game.
Rather than viewing the all-time wins record as something that should slip away because of circumstance, the former Saints coach was willing to entertain a scenario that would have allowed one of football’s greatest coaches to claim it. The logistics were always going to be messy, which is likely why the conversation never progressed beyond an idea, but it remains one of the more fascinating coaching “what ifs” the NFL has seen in years.
Denver Came Close to an Entirely Different Future
The timing of the revelation is just as interesting as the proposal itself. It comes as Payton has Denver back among the AFC’s contenders after guiding the Broncos to the conference championship game last season. Had the plan actually moved forward, there is a good chance none of it would have happened. Instead of spending the past two years laying the foundation for Denver’s resurgence, the former Saints coach would have stepped aside, leaving one of the league’s biggest rebuilding projects in someone else’s hands. Looking back now, it is difficult to imagine the Broncos being in a better position than they are today.
A Fascinating “What If”
It is probably for the best the concept never got past the proposal stage. While helping Belichick chase history would have made for one of the most remarkable coaching stories the NFL has ever seen, Denver was in need of stability, not just a dramatic splash. The risk of abandoning his efforts could have set the team back in an unprecedented manner.
The proposal, no doubt, will endure as one of the ultimate “what ifs” in the game, but there is no doubt Denver would stick to their original decision in this scenario.
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