Sean Payton’s contract details: How much does the Broncos head coach make at Denver?
At the helm of the Broncos since 2023, Payton is chasing the second Super Bowl title in his 20-year career as an NFL head coach.
Now two decades into his career as an NFL head coach, the Broncos’ Sean Payton is among the highest-paid in the league. And he has justified his hefty salary so far in the 2025 season, leading Denver into the playoffs as a top seed.
Can the Broncos make it back to the Super Bowl?
It’s going to be tough without star QB Bo Nix, but Sean Payton has a plan and the Broncos have one of the best defenses in the NFL. The last time the Broncos were in the Super Bowl was ten years ago when they defeated the Carolina Panthers.
The winner of the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots will advance to Super Bowl LX, played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Feb. 8.
Payton out to double Super Bowl tally
The Broncos are chasing the fourth Super Bowl championship in franchise history - and their first since 2015 - while Payton is in pursuit of his second Vince Lombardi Trophy as a head coach.
During a 15-year stint in charge of the New Orleans Saints, the 62-year-old tasted championship success in 2009, leading the Saints to a 31-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts at Super Bowl XLIV.
How much does Payton earn at the Broncos?
After departing the Saints at the end of the 2021 season, Payton initially retired from coaching.
However, he was persuaded back onto the bench at the beginning of 2023, signing a five-year deal to take charge of the Broncos, through the end of the 2027 campaign. He earns a reported $18 million a year in Denver.
Per a ranking by sports-finance specialists Sportico, Payton’s Broncos pay packet made him the NFL’s second-highest-earning head coach as of the start of the 2025 season. Only Andy Reid, who picks up an estimated $20m a year at the Kansas City Chiefs, was on a higher coaching salary, Sportico said.
However, John Harbaugh is poised to knock Payton into third spot: following his departure from the Baltimore Ravens, Harbaugh is set to take over as head coach at the New York Giants.
As reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Harbaugh is expected to sign a five-year Giants contract worth a total of around $100 million.
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