Sean Payton Shares True Thoughts on Jim Harbaugh Landing in AFC West

Sean Payton wasn't thrilled that Jim Harbaugh landed in the AFC West, although he's got the utmost respect for the new Los Angeles Chargers head coach.

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton and Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. / Mark Konezny/Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images

In the wake of the Denver Broncos firing Nathaniel Hackett, the top two head-coaching candidates to replace him were Sean Payton and then-Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. DeMeco Ryans was reportedly a finalist, too, before landing in Houston, but Harbaugh bowed out of the running, and the Broncos ended up hiring Payton.

Harbaugh stayed at Michigan one more year and won a National Championship. Fast forward to today, and both Payton and Harbaugh are in the AFC West. Harbaugh became the Los Angeles Chargers head coach earlier this year.

Week 6 features the first head-to-head tilt between Payton and Harbaugh in the AFC West, and it's interesting how things came together for both coaches. Thinking back on his candidacy as Broncos head coach, Payton claims he never gave much thought to Harbaugh as a competitor for the same job.

“I didn't know who the other candidates were," Payton said on Wednesday. "I knew they were interviewing a bunch of other candidates. I was thinking about the other teams that I was visiting. No, I had no idea. Honestly, I didn't know. It was really more about the different teams that I had gone to and making sure it was the right decision for me.”

However, when the news broke of Harbaugh landing back in the NFL with the Chargers, no doubt, Payton had to raise his eyebrows knowing that the competitive bar had just been raised.

"Obviously, his success speaks for itself both at the NFL level and college level," Payton said of Harbaugh. "I was excited that he got a job in our league, but not so much in our division. He does a great job.”

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Harbaugh's teams — whether at the college or pro level — share specific hallmarks. Payton touched on them, previewing the obstacle the Broncos are facing in Week 6.

“They do a great job. If you look up his overall career as a pro coach, [the] turnover margin is off the charts," Payton said of Harbaugh's teams. "They protect the ball, they're smart, and they're well-coached. They always have balance relative to running the football and throwing the football. All the things that we sometimes—all the things that are necessary to develop a team and he's done that wherever he's been. If you got back to USD—University of San Diego—it's just not an accident.”

The Chargers boast the NFL's No. 1 scoring defense and rank No. 5 in total yards allowed. It's a top-10 unit in most of the major defensive statistical categories, with two exceptions: sacks and third-down efficiency.

Payton knows he's got his work cut out for him this week. Fortunately, Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix has been through the refiner's fire to start his NFL career, facing four of the league's toughest defenses to open the season, so hopefully, he's ready for the Chargers.

“No. 1, they keep it in front of them," Payton said of the Chargers defense. "You can't find explosive in the running game or the passing game. They’re playing with real good technique. Then you have a real good scheme with talented players. They've held the Chiefs, you name it... They've done a good job.”

Payton and Harbaugh are two of the most competitive humans to walk the planet. Sunday's AFC West throwdown at Empower Field at Mile High might be offensively a bit ugly, but it's sure to offer plenty of defensive fireworks for both clubs.

The Broncos sit at 3-2 on the season, winners of three in a row. The Chargers are 2-2 and are coming off their bye week.

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