Broncos have the NFL’s hottest coaching staff. Payton calls it a ‘good problem.’

Sean Payton addressed the elephant in the room Thursday: the Denver Broncos could soon be facing some brain drain

Jan 9, 2026, 3:37 PM

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Sean Payton addressed the elephant in the room Thursday: the Denver Broncos could soon be facing some brain drain.

Four of the Broncos’ head coach’s top assistants are fielding head coaching or coordinator interest from around the league during the Broncos’ playoff bye week.

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, quarterbacks coach Davis Webb, assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi and assistant head coach/pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard have all drawn interview requests from teams with vacancies. Payton, rather than viewing the attention as a distraction, framed it as validation.

“It’s much more efficient now with the ability to Zoom interviews than maybe it was 10 years ago,” Payton said on Friday. “Those are all good byproducts of winning.”

Joseph has emerged as a particularly hot name on the circuit, completing interviews with the Ravens and Giants and drawing interest from the Falcons and Raiders. Webb, viewed as a rising star in coaching circles, has interviewed with the Ravens for their head coaching vacancy and received a request from the Raiders. Rizzi, who served as the Saints’ interim head coach for eight games in 2024, is on the Giants’ radar. The Cowboys have requested permission to interview Leonhard for their defensive coordinator opening.

Payton said he remains in close contact with general manager George Paton and his assistants throughout the process.

“George will just shoot me an email, and Vance, you know, we all stay in touch,” Payton said. “It becomes easier if you have a bye. It becomes more difficult when you’re playing. I’m always more of, ‘Hey, if you need help, if there are any questions, if I can help you in any way, let me know’ — either with a call or advice on anything.”

Payton acknowledged the timing creates inherent challenges but said virtual interviews have eased what used to be a logistical nightmare.

“It used to be more difficult,” Payton said. “What was hard is when Billy’s got to get on a flight and go here, and then he’s going to get back, and then it took six to eight hours. To Zoom, it’s not nearly as extensive.”

Reflecting on the pre-Zoom era, Payton recalled past experiences losing assistants to lengthy interview processes.

“It wasn’t too long ago when all these things were in person,” Payton said. “I can recall that I never had a Zoom. I wish I had a Zoom when I was seven days without Davis. But they’ve got a pretty good handle on it.”

The third-year Broncos coach noted that several assistants have navigated this dance before, drawing from his own experiences in New Orleans.

“You’ll be getting ready for a key championship game, and you’ve got a member of your staff who’s a strong candidate to become the next head coach of the Lions,” Payton said, referencing past cycles. “That’s why they’re special, though, because they can multitask. They understand what their goal is, and they can still perform their job.”

Payton also shared personal advice he’s passing along to assistants weighing their options — counsel rooted in his own career decisions.

“The same thing I was told: Look, there’s only 32 of them, but there’s some that at that present time — look, I had a suit purchased and everything, and at the last minute stayed,” Payton said. “And it was good advice. I didn’t want to hear it. But you’re looking at the cap, you’re looking at — they’re open for a reason. So there’s not a utopia, but you are looking for just a chance. You have to have a chance.”

Payton said those same factors guided his decision to come to Denver in 2023.

“Even for myself, looking a few years ago, I felt like we had a chance here because of ownership and front office,” Payton said. “And we weren’t choosing to be in the same division as Mahomes. But some of the things that can prevent you from winning — those are the ones you want to try to avoid.”

With Denver holding the AFC’s top seed and maybe four weeks remaining in its postseason run, Payton delivered a pointed message to his team about the realities ahead.

“I just finished telling the team, ‘Hey, we’ve got four weeks — we’ve got a month left together as a team,'” Payton said. “That’s the truth. There’s a change. Let’s make the most of it.”

When asked whether the constant inquiries create concern, Payton dismissed the notion entirely.

“I’d rather be worried about navigating those issues than you guys asking me, ‘Any word yet on an assistant?'” Payton said. “No one yet means we’ve done a good job of hiring the right people, and I want to see them realize their dreams.”

In the long run the Broncos could benefit from a few of their assistants getting jobs, the team may be eligible for draft pick compensation. So it’s a win-win so long as everyone stays focused on Divisional Round.