Sean Payton’s coaching tree is already impressive, and it’s only growing.

Following the Denver Broncos first playoff berth in nine years, Payton’s assistant coaches have been a hot commodity.

Now, two of them will be running offenses for new teams in 2025.

Sean Payton’s coaching tree branches out as many former assistants get new jobs

The turning point for these Denver Broncos came in 2024. There’s no looking back.

Payton has been the Broncos’ streak breaker, coaching them to end a 16-game losing streak to the Chiefs last year, and ending an 8-game losing streak to the Raiders this season.

Denver’s no longer an afterthought or a joke in the NFL.

They’re back.

But while that brings a lot of positives, one negative is teams will come in and poach assistant coaches.

In the last few weeks, Payton’s staff has seen a lot of interviews and they’ve landed some new jobs, too.

Passing game coordinator John Morton is now the Detroit Lions latest offensive coordinator. And tight ends coach Declan Doyle accepted a new job as the Chicago Bears offensive coordinator.

Meanwhile, Vance Joseph was in the running for the Raiders and New York Jets head coaching jobs, but the Raiders hired Pete Carroll and Aaron Glenn went to the Jets. Joseph will stay put in Denver.

Speaking of Glenn, he’s part of Sean Payton’s coaching tree, too. As is Dan Campbell, head coach of the Lions, Bills OC Joe Brady, and former Saints head coach Dennis Allen. Brady is likely to become a head coach soon too, and withdrew from the Saints search recently.

Meanwhile, defensive backs coach Jim Leonhard had offers to be a defensive coordinator. He declined and is staying in the Mile High City.

That’s good news for Denver because their defense was lights-out last year. Now they’ll keep both Joseph and Leonhard going into 2025.

Broncos look to be in good hands with Payton at the helm

Two years into his tenure as the Broncos head coach, and Payton seems to have been a great hire.

He took a terrible team he didn’t build to a 9-8 record last year. Then, he pushed the 2024 Broncos–with a rookie quarterback and inexperienced receivers–to a 10-7 record this year. With that all-important playoff berth.

It was a good enough job that Payton is a finalist for AP Coach of the Year. He helped coach up five All-Pros, and the likely Defensive Player of the Year in Pat Surtain. And the NFL world has taken notice, which is why Morton and Doyle were hired away to new teams and in bigger roles.

And on Sean Payton’s coaching tree growing, it’s important to note the NFL sees his offense as useful against today’s defenses.

Many may have thought the game passed Payton by after he left the league in 2021. He is 61 years old after all, and the Saints missed the playoffs his final two years there.

But Payton’s proven he still has what it takes and his offense still works.

Has he been perfect?

No. Far from it.

Against the Chargers, Payton was outcoached by Jim Harbaugh. And the Broncos offense was too cautious against the Bills in the Wild Card game.

But without him at the helm, the game against LA likely wouldn’t have mattered and Denver wouldn’t have been in the playoffs to question his play calling.

Going into Year 3 of the Sean Payton era, the Broncos are in good hands. Now that they’ll have around $60 million in salary to spend, hope will only continue to build in Broncos Country.