Denver Broncos are Trying to Win Everything: Sean Payton Thinking Super Bowl

The Denver Broncos are trying to win everything.

And as we saw on Friday night, they look like a juggernaut. First preseason game or not.

The Broncos won 27-7 over the Falcons, and what Sean Payton said in the week before the preseason kicked off will give you a glimpse into the man's psyche heading into 2026.

Sean Payton: You're trying to win everything

Sean Payton lives and breathes football. He wakes and sleeps football. He dreams football and becoming the first NFL coach to win a Super Bowl with two franchises.

Nothing epitomizes that more than the incredible piece by Seth Wickersham from June. Wickersham said Payton "nearly broke himself" in the week before the AFC Championship Game in January. And gave a ton of insight into how the Broncos head coach prepares himself, his assistant coaches, and the team on a weekly basis.

And while he's sometimes gruff and even rude to the Denver media, Payton also gives great quotes at times.

As the Broncos prepared for the Atlanta Falcons last week, a reporter asked him what the purpose of preseason games is.

“You’re trying to win, you’re trying to win everything," Payton said. "I just believe in that. You’re trying to build something where everything’s competitive, everything matters. Drills, we try to set the competition up."

The Denver Broncos want to win everything.

Win the drill. Win the practice. Win the preseason game. And then win regular season games, post season games, and eventually a Super Bowl.

Step by step. I wrote about it back in 2023, how Payton turned a terrible Broncos team—who won 30 total games in the five years before Payton—into a winner.

Last year they came within one game of a Super Bowl, with the loss of Bo Nix likely the only reason why Denver didn't face Seattle in Super Bowl LX.

Payton went on to further explain why they want to win every game, even in the preseason.

"So I remember that game [vs. Arizona in 2023], it was like the last play of the game. We pressured the right-handed quarterback from the left, and he flushed out to the right. Those are things that can happen and fortunately it’s not a live bullet, but it still stings when it hits your chest.”

I looked it up and David Blough connected with Brian Cobbs for an 18-yard touchdown, then Emari Demarcado scored the 2-point conversion to lift Arizona over Denver 18-17.

Sean Payton is still thinking of that preseason loss to the Cardinals. He wanted that win, damnit.

Payton thinks these Broncos can win the Super Bowl

On the second day of training camp, Payton was asked if these 2026 Broncos can win it all.

“Yeah, this is one of them [teams he's coached who could win a Super Bowl]. I think you have to play good defense to be one of those teams. You have to get good quarterback play. You have to be good on the offensive and defensive lines. You have to be well coached. I think we’re all of the above.”

It's not just coachspeak; not just some guy trying to prove he's readied a true contender.

Payton summed it up well. What it takes to win a Super Bowl.

Defense wins championships. The Seahawks proved it last year, and three of the final four teams were in the top-4 in points allowed (Broncos were 3rd).

Bo Nix is ready to take a step forward in Year 3. I think he could go from 18th-best QB now to 13th by the end of the year.

The Broncos offensive line is one of the best in the NFL, and the defensive line is right up there on that side of the ball. As complicated as football has become, you still have to win in the trenches to win in this league.

And, well of course he thinks he's a great coach. Around the league, many agree he's one of the best today; Payton's proven he's still got it these last three years in the Mile High City.

Payton's charisma is helping boost Broncos confidence

One of the things Payton is best at is hyping his team up.

Wickersham talked about it after the team lost Nix due to the broken ankle in the win over Buffalo.

"Four teams," he says at one point. "This game is gonna be won today, tomorrow and the next day. It's gonna be won in our meetings. It's gonna be won in handling our distractions... All hands on deck. We're one win away from the biggest game of your life."

Obviously the Broncos came within three points of making it to the Super Bowl last year. So they know how close they are as a team.

But Payton's been drilling the Super Bowl opportunity into them too.

"We want to be at the biggest stage, playing the best competition, leading a team to hopefully go win a Super Bowl," Bo Nix said recently. "I’m just excited to where we’ve built it and we’ve gotten it to where we feel like we can compete on any level at all times. That doesn’t make it any easier, as a matter of fact it makes it tougher. Now we have a target on our back. At the same time, I think we’re willing and able to defend that target."

Hell yeah, young buck.

"It’s going to be tough, but I also think we’re battle tested and we’re going to be ready for it."

Exactly. These Broncos should be confident, but not cocky. Payton has smartly reminded them everyone will be coming for them this year. But they can fend off anyone in this league.

Pat Surtain knows this team wants to win a Super Bowl, but it's all step by step.

"Obviously, that’s the main goal [to win a Super Bowl], but it starts right here in training camp and it starts early on in the season. Our main focus is to start out fast and start out hot early. That way we can prepare ourselves to get to that stage.”

The reason these Broncos are Super Bowl caliber is because Sean Payton is leading them.

Last year, when The Broncos Blitz was just starting out, I explained why Payton is the right coach to lead Denver back to the big game. Really, it's a recap and year-by-year look at how he took this franchise from down in the dumps to legitimate contenders in less than three years.

That's remarkable!

And they are undoubtedly one of the best teams in football again in 2026.

The Chiefs, who won nine straight AFC West titles, are looking up at Denver as the team to beat. So are the Chargers; each of whom could be in the playoffs at the end of this 2026 season.

Onto this Friday, when the Broncos host the Packers for Week 2 of the preseason. Bo Nix will be playing, as will other starters who sat out Week 1 likely.

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Rich Kurtzman was born and raised in Denver Colorado and attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins in the aughts. He's been a professional writer since 2011, covering Colorado State football and men's basketball, as well as the Denver Broncos, for many outlets. Current Denver Broncos work can be found on Mile High Sports. Previous credits include CBS Denver and The USA TODAY Sports Media Group.