Garett Bolles says Payton gave up play-calling because Webb is ‘that smart’

Denver Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles played on a lot of bad teams over the years.

But his patience, staying in Denver throughout his whole career, has been rewarded.

Bolles arrived in 2017 and finally made the playoffs with the Broncos for the first time in 2024. Then the team went 14-3 in 2025 and advanced all the way to the AFC Title Game.

Of course those big leaps have come under head coach Sean Payton, who made a huge decision this offseason. He promoted Davis Webb to offensive coordinator and will give Webb the play-calling duties.

Many around the league were surprised that Payton would relinquish his bread and butter, but there’s a method to the madness.

Garett Bolles was on the Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams on Tuesday morning and was asked about the shift. He gave a couple of great answers.

How will Davis Webb transform Denver's offense?

Broncos OT Garett Bolles on his new OC… and why Sean Payton's trust in him says everything 😤@gbolles72 | @Broncos | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/ptcXvX024A

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) May 19, 2026

“It is ‘damn he’s good.’ That’s really what it is,” Garett Bolles said of Webb. “To be able to have a coach that understands the game. Not like the old-school game, I’m talking about this newest game that we play… he’s so smart with the x’s and o’s.”

“He’s not afraid to drop everything on the line and let it rip,” Bolles added.

But this wasn’t a shot at Payton from Bolles. He had plenty of nice things to say about his head coach.

“I love Sean Payton to death… I’m forever grateful to him for what he’s done for me and my family. And what he’s done for this organization, this culture that we’ve built and the love that he has for his players. All he wants is for us to be the best versions of ourselves,” Bolles said.

He added that Payton is demanding while saying everything he does has a purpose. But Garett Bolles closed with one last nice endorsement of Webb.

“Obviously (Payton) wouldn’t have given up the play-calling just because to give it up. That’s not who he is. He’s super passionate in his job and he loves it and he puts 100 percent every single day into it. But he’s doing it because he knows that Davis Webb is that smart and that just speaks volumes of what type of man he has surrounded himself with,” Bolles said.

It’s an unselfish move by the 62-year-old Payton, knowing that perhaps the 31-year-old Webb might call the game a little differently. And a little faster.

We’ll see how it works out in 2026 and beyond, but Garett Bolles sounds like a fan of the decision. And having a respected veteran endorse it will help the rest of the Broncos offense get on board as well.

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