Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton is making bold statements as we approach the start of the 2025 regular season. The Broncos coach isn’t just talking about making the playoffs — he’s said that his team is built for a Super Bowl run, right now. These statements land differently for Broncos fans. After years of slow rebuilds and low expectations, hearing Payton speak so openly about top-tier goals is jarring—exciting for some, nerve-racking for others.
Sean Payton explains why he believes the Broncos have a chance to win the Super Bowl this year.
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) August 4, 2025
Pointed to QB, OL, defense and, most importantly, ownership. pic.twitter.com/4rwe8OOQsb
Payton piling on the pressure in Broncos country
Coach Payton hasn’t shied away from the spotlight. He’s told anyone who will listen that this Broncos team can win it all. He compares this group to his past playoff squads and feels like his young quarterback; Bo Nix is on track to becoming one of the best in the league.
Payton also lists the defense, offensive line and leadership along with ownership as reasons why Denver should believe. He points to veterans’ offseason signings and a loaded defense, confident that the ingredients are finally right.
“When you bring in a few of these leaders we’re talking about who have been to the championship games — who have been to that championship game — there’s a confidence here that’s much different than when you and I sat here one year ago," Payton noted of Denver’s free-agent signings. “We were in a comeback a year ago. We were young. But a young team can be very dangerous because they don’t know what they don’t know.”
A bright orange target on their back
After their coach’s recent boasting, the Broncos should know what to expect as an organization this year. That Super Bowl or bust mentality places that target on the front and back of those Broncos jerseys. Opponents will gain extra motivation, preparing harder each week. Suddenly, the Broncos are no longer the hunter, they become the rabbit. Expectations from fans and the media will skyrocket and any underdog label will go by the wayside.
“We saw a young Seahawks team just tear apart the league [a decade ago],” Payton continued. “We have the confidence in some of these guys that played last year, and we took the major hit of the Russell Wilson deal a year ago and survived and didn’t let that be an excuse.”
While Payton hasn’t made any guarantees, this could be the next best thing. If Denver starts slowly, critics will circle quickly. That pressure of public expectation could become too much, too early for what is still a young team in many aspects. All mistakes, especially big ones, will be magnified and could potentially become a distraction to the locker room.
Denver has made real progress since Payton arrived a couple of years ago. The roster is stronger and Bo Nix has shown promise. The defense, led by Pat Surtain II, looks and feels elite. But whenever a coach yells like this from the roof top, everyone takes notice, especially rivals. The Broncos now have to match their coach’s energy. That’s a tough climb for any team, especially in the AFC.