Sean Payton is taking back the Denver Broncos’ offensive play-calling duties from Davis Webb, reversing an offseason decision after the team opened the season 2-2.
Payton confirmed the change Thursday as Denver prepared to visit the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 5. His announcement settled the question of how much control he would reclaim after earlier reporting described a larger role for the head coach.
“We’ll make a change offensively. I’ll call the plays,” Payton told reporters.
The move gives Bo Nix a familiar play-caller as the Broncos try to turn sustained stretches of uneven offense into a more reliable operation. It also ends Webb’s initial run directing the calls just four games into his first season as offensive coordinator.
Denver’s latest loss illustrated the urgency. The Broncos fell 24-14 to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, leaving them with another week of questions about why promising possessions have so often failed to produce touchdowns.
What changes for Davis Webb?
Taking the play-calling assignment away from Webb does not remove him from the offensive planning process.
Earlier Thursday, Adam Schefter reported that Webb would retain substantial responsibilities in preparing the game plan and working through it on game day, even as Payton became more involved.
The Broncos are taking a more collaborative play-calling approach this week with HC Sean Payton having an increased role in the process and OC Davis Webb continuing with a significant game-planning and game-day role, per sources. Denver is looking to spark its offense ahead of… pic.twitter.com/6y2jHZTaYn
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 8, 2026
Payton’s subsequent announcement clarified who would make the calls. Those are separate responsibilities: Webb can continue developing ideas and helping the staff respond to a defense without being the coach who selects the next play.
That distinction matters for an offense making an adjustment during the season. The Broncos are changing the division of work among their coaches while continuing to prepare the same players for their next opponent.
The reversal follows an unusually significant delegation by Payton. At the scouting combine in February, he announced that Webb would take primary responsibility for calling plays, the first time he had made that full-time arrangement as an NFL head coach.
Payton framed that decision around helping Denver win and expressed confidence in Webb’s ability. He had considered the move during the previous season and intended to remain involved offensively.
Bo Nix and the Broncos have struggled to generate yardage
The Broncos have an offense averaging 280.3 yards per game through four contests, with 1,121 total yards.
Nix has completed 81 of 135 passes for 819 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. His 60 percent completion rate and 6.1 yards per attempt provide a measure of the passing game’s limited production.
The running game has offered little relief. Denver has gained 325 yards on 90 attempts, an average of 3.6 yards per carry. J.K. Dobbins leads the team with 161 rushing yards on 46 carries.
Those numbers leave Payton with more than one problem to address. A better rushing performance could make it easier to avoid obvious passing situations, while more productive throws could help an offense that has struggled to accumulate yardage.
The receiving totals also show how much work has gone underneath. Running back RJ Harvey leads Denver with 20 receptions, while Courtland Sutton has nine catches for 86 yards.
Changing the play-caller alone does not establish that those opportunities will shift. It does put Payton in charge of choosing how to attack the next defense.
Courtland Sutton says the offense shares responsibility
Before Thursday’s announcement, Denver’s players were already discussing the need for cleaner execution.
In remarks published by the team Wednesday, Sutton pushed back against placing all responsibility for the offense’s struggles on its quarterback.
“He’s not the only one out there when we go play. There’s 11 of us,” Sutton said.
Nix, meanwhile, described the balance between attacking an opening and forcing a throw. He wanted to capitalize on downfield opportunities without creating unnecessary turnovers, and pointed out that a short completion can still become a useful gain.
Payton’s assessment likewise extended beyond his quarterback. He acknowledged throws Nix would want back but emphasized how better work across the offense could make the quarterback’s assignment easier.
The comments explain why the coaching change cannot be evaluated entirely by who holds the play sheet. Denver still needs its receivers, blockers and ball carriers to execute the calls.
Unfinished drives proved costly against San Francisco
Denver’s account of the 49ers loss provides a specific example of the problem Payton inherits.
The Broncos produced only two field goals from their first three possessions that crossed midfield. On one drive, they advanced 63 yards over 11 plays but could not turn a first down at the San Francisco 30 into a red-zone opportunity.
“I just don’t think we finished enough drives,” tackle Mike McGlinchey said after the game.
A late touchdown and two-point conversion brought Denver within three points with 4:05 remaining. San Francisco then answered with George Kittle’s 56-yard touchdown reception.
The Broncos had given themselves a chance, but their late response did not erase the earlier missed opportunities. More consistent production before the fourth quarter would reduce the need for another comeback.
There is context to the uneven start. Their first four opponents had a combined 13-3 record. Denver accounted for two of those losses, while the other came when the Rams and 49ers played each other.
That opening stretch helps explain the difficulty of the assignment without resolving the offensive issues. Denver has shown it can compete with strong opponents and still has clear room to improve.
The next test comes against a Chargers team dealing with its own problems, including Joe Alt’s expected absence with a neck injury. For the Broncos, the central question is whether Payton’s return to calling plays can produce steadier drives and more points.
