The biggest non-player move this offseason was the Denver Broncos pulling Sean Peyton out of his analyst position to put him on the sideline as their head coach. Payton is a Super Bowl-winning coach with the New Orleans Saints, and they had to sacrifice a first-round pick (2023) and a second-round pick (2024) to acquire his services. It is the very definition of a bold move that was needed as they were falling behind the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West arms race.
The first chance for Broncos fans to see Payton at work will be a division clash with the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, September 10. Tickets on Immortal Seats are going for just over $200 for the cheap seats, indicating that football-mad Denver expects big things from their new hire. Sterner tests will come down the line, with the Green Bay Packers (Sunday, October 22), the Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday, October 29), and the Los Angeles Chargers (Sunday, December 31) lined up this fall.
Check out the Denver Broncos’ full home schedule at the end of this post.
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Does Payton restore the Broncos home field advantage?
One of Payton’s first jobs is getting the Broncos back to winning at home. Mile High Stadium was among the most feared venues in the league for visiting teams. The combination of bitter weather, rabid fans, and thin air that makes breathing more difficult carried the Broncos to home win after home win. That mystique has disappeared recently, with the Broncos having just one winning record at home in the last six years, even that was with just a 5-3 record.
The big issue is their lack of ability to beat divisional opponents. They haven’t posted a winning record in the AFC West in almost a decade, while the Chiefs have owned the Broncos in winning the last 15 straight between the two franchises. If Payton has any shot at ending Denver’s seven-year playoff hiatus, he needs to start with getting the Broncos’ own house in order.
2023 Denver Broncos Home Games
Sat, Aug 26 – Los Angeles Rams (Preseason)
Sun, Sep 10 – Las Vegas Raiders
Sun, Sep 17 – Washington Commanders
Sun, Oct 22 – Green Bay Packers
Sun, Oct 29 – Kansas City Chiefs
Sun, Nov 19 – Minnesota Vikings
Sun, Nov 26 – Cleveland Browns
