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Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton is focused on the playoffs, so much so that he had to be reminded by reporters that it was New Year’s Eve on Wednesday.
The longtime NFL coach was asked by reporters ahead of Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers if he had to talk to his players about the ring in the new year in a responsible way.
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton works on the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
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“I didn’t know it was New Year’s Eve,” he said before letting his true feelings about the day be known. “The most overrated holiday, honestly. Seriously. I didn’t know it was New Year’s Eve.”
Payton was asked if he ever had to remind his players in New Orleans to celebrate responsibly, to which he said, “Not the good teams.”
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) celebrates after scoring in the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 25, 2025. (Denny Medley/Imagn Images)
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“I think the interesting thing is that as we get older and you coach younger players, these guys are a lot more in tune with their bodies. Today’s generation doesn’t drink as much. They’re in tune with their sleep. . . . They deal with all these things tremendously.”
The Broncos clinched their first AFC West title in a decade after the Houston Texans defeated the Chargers on Saturday. Because they hold the tiebreaker over the New England Patriots, a win on Sunday would secure the top seed in the AFC.
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton looks on prior to an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Missouri on December 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
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That means home field advantage through the AFC playoffs and a first-round bye.
