The Denver Broncos head coach has given up play-calling duties to keep an assistant coach on staff.
Posted by Kevin Kietzman Has Issues, Checked
- Sources
- 3 support3 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 72%
Kevin Kietzman Has IssuesSep 17, 2026
As of 2026-09-17, Sean Payton had handed play-calling to offensive coordinator Davis Webb, which Reuters reported in February 2026, and Yahoo Sports reported that Denver promoted Webb to OC because it was at risk of losing him. Payton reclaimed play-calling on 2026-10-08, after the claim date, which does not change the verdict.
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What was said
… Uh, that was a big differential: they run after touch, uh, run after catch, the after contact, that kind of thing. Denver just was not ready to play to the Chiefs' level, and then on offense, they really looked inept. Now, remember, the head coach has been the play caller forever, and for some reason he's given up that special skill just so he can keep an assistant on staff and not let him go someplace else, so I'm not sure it's a good decision for Denver. But super excited about what the Chiefs did because they delivered in so many ways. The big thing that I had been saying in pre-season camp was I thought the Chiefs would be as good as Legerius Need was for the Kansas City Chiefs. …
Kevin Kietzman Has Issues · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. Reuters reported on 2026-02-25 that Payton assigned primary play-calling duties to newly appointed OC Davis Webb for the 2026 season, before the claim's date.[1]
Supports. Yahoo Sports reported that Denver was at risk of losing Webb that offseason, so Payton promoted him from quarterbacks coach to OC, and that new title initially included play-calling, which matches the claim's stated reason of keeping an assistant on staff.[2]
Supports. The Denver Post reported that Webb had leverage in the offseason and was positioned to leave for multiple teams, supporting the retention rationale.[3]
Context. Payton reclaimed play-calling duties on 2026-10-08, after the claim date; this later change does not make the September 2026 claim false.[4][5][6]
Sources
6 sources: 1 fact-checker, 4 not rated, 1 tier 2
- 1Broncos' Sean Payton turns play-calling duties over to new OC Davis Webbreuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
- 2Broncos coach Sean Payton confirms reports: 'I'll call the ...sports.yahoo.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 3Sean Payton taking over as play-caller better workdenverpost.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 4Broncos players react to Head Coach taking over offensive ...cbsnews.com · tier 2 · cited for: context
- 5'We'll do what's best for the team': HC Sean Payton to ...denverbroncos.com · not rated · cited for: context
- 6Broncos coach Sean Payton takes over play callinggazette.com · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
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