Sean Payton Previews His 'Difficult' First Message at Broncos OTAs

The Denver Broncos are coming together under Sean Payton for the first time this week.

The Denver Broncos are set to begin Phase 1 of their offseason training program on Tuesday, April 11. It'll be the first team activity of the new Sean Payton regime in Denver. 

In a segment that aired during the Masters in Phoenix last week, CBS Sports' Amanda Balionis Renner caught up with Coach Payton, and he shared some of what his first message to the Broncos will be. 

"Our first team meeting is going to be right after Easter weekend, and it's probably going to be, I don't want to say no-nonsense, but here are the things that are going to help us win," Payton told Renner. "That's kind of where we're at a little bit. This offseason for us needs to be difficult... Right now, I think it's a little bit more like, alright, we're rolling up our sleeves a little bit."

.@Amanda_Balionis plays a round of golf with Sean Payton as he enters his new role as Head Coach for the @Broncos⛳️🏈#nfl #golf #broncos #themasters pic.twitter.com/aebmXfP4pq

— We Need To Talk (@WeNeedToTalk) April 8, 2023

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Coming off a five-win season, the Broncos have a lot of work to do to climb out of the NFL doldrums. It's been a dark seven years since Denver was in the playoffs. We're talking about six consecutive losing seasons. 

So, of course, there is going to be some pain. It's going to be difficult, and some of that pain has already been felt in the form of certain guys being let go or not retained. But it's encouraging to hear the man responsible for bringing about this mighty change in Denver acknowledge unflinchingly that it's going to hurt. 

"They went through a tough season a year ago, and part of it is getting past [that]," Payton told Renner. "I mean, it's brought up, it's brought up, it's brought up — and at some point, there's closure on it."

Like a cornerback who gets beaten on a completion, the Broncos need to cultivate a short memory of sorts. That's not to say the Broncos should pretend as if the last seven years haven't happened, but rather, extract whatever lessons there are to be learned and put it behind them with a focus on the here and now. 

Payton is no longer coaching in the NFC South. The lay of the land has changed now that he's in the AFC West. But the objectives remain the same. 

"It really starts with winning your division. You've got to find a way to win your division, and right now, Kansas City is that team." 

As Renner and Payton golfed together and conversed, Payton jokingly admitted his anxiety of knowing that while he's enjoying some recreation, Andy Reid and the Chiefs could be grinding. 

"Gosh, all this talk of work has me nervous that the Chiefs are doing something today and you and I are golfing over margaritas," Payton said. 

Many a truths are said in jest. 

Payton gets to begin that "difficult" work of turning the Broncos ship around, in earnest, this week in his inaugural OTAs as head coach. It'll be fun to see how it all takes shape. 

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