Sean Payton grateful for Bill Parcells' mentorship as he inches closer to legendary NFL coach's win tally

NFL: Denver Broncos at San Francisco 49ers - Source: Imagn
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton - Source: Imagn

Sean Payton is entering his third year as coach of the Denver Broncos. The veteran coach managed to end the Broncos' eight-year playoff drought last season and Denver fans hope he can go one better this year with quarterback Bo Nix running the offense.

Ad

While Payton is focusing on the upcoming season, he is inching closer to Bill Parcells' career win tally. The legendary coach won 172 regular-season games, and Payton needs just three wins to move past Parcells.

While speaking to Kay Adams on her show on Tuesday, Payton expressed surprise at learning about his upcoming milestone. He mentioned that Parcells has always been his mentor.

“We talk all the time. It's funny when I call Bill and we talk football; we immediately go back into like he's the head coach, and I'm the entry-level assistant,” Payton said. “I feel like I'm talking to my father. That's crazy. He's been so important to what I do. Those three years for me were like law school. And still, at age 82, he's extremely sharp with situations and games.
Ad

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

Ad
"Now, some of the younger players that he hasn't scouted, he may not know as well, but he can watch a game and ask the right questions relative to why you finished the half this way,” he added.

Payton was the Dallas Cowboys' assistant and quarterbacks coach under Parcells for three seasons (2003-05) before securing his first head coaching role in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints.

Ad

Sean Payton is aiming for a Super Bowl in 2025 season

The Broncos moved on from Russell Wilson last season, with Bo Nix making a strong case to be the future franchise QB.

Last year's playoff appearance has given the team more confidence heading into 2025 and Payton is targeting the Lombardi Trophy.

“The short-term goal is winning the division,” Payton said in an interview with Yahoo! Sports. “But this is a team capable of winning the Super Bowl. I’ve coached six teams that I thought could win the Super Bowl. Some went to championship games, some to the playoffs. This is my seventh team that I think has that.”

The Broncos meet the Cardinals in their second preseason matchup at Empower Field this weekend.

Denver Broncos Fans! Check out the latest Denver Broncos Schedule and dive into the Broncos Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Quick Links

Edited by Deepesh Nair
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
down arrow icon
More
bell-icon Manage notifications