While the Denver Broncos improved their win total during the 2023 season, Sean Payton and company still fell short of expectations. The Broncos started their season 1-5, yet turned it around and finished one win shy of a winning record. While there are certainly some positive takeaways, according to Broncos CEO and owner Greg Penner, the franchise is not yet where it wants to be.
“We understand the championship standard that we have here, both for the organization and the fans' expectations,” Penner told the team website. “This is a proud franchise. We grade ourselves by our winning record, and this year, we didn't meet our expectations.”
From @Broncos owner Greg Penner
“My message to the fans. We’re just as impatient as you are to win here as you are.”
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) January 9, 2024
As the Broncos endured ups and downs in their season, there were rumblings that there was a tense relationship between head coach Sean Payton and some players. Penner dispelled these rumors, and considered it to be a part of a “culture change.”
“Probably the biggest thing here, in terms of how I think about the future and this organization moving forward, is that he is establishing a culture here based on performance, excellence, hard work, accountability, and, again, his focus on winning,” Penner said.
During the season, cameras captured a tense sideline exchange between Payton and Russell Wilson.
“A lot of times that does come out in a very passionate and intense way. I know you all see that. We see it a little bit differently,” Penner said in defense of Payton. “We see some of that in the building as well, but we also see another side of him. The messages that he has to our players are terrific. He has a great sense of humor. He uses historical anecdotes. So we get to see both sides of that, but at the end of the day he's focused on winning, and I love that passion.”
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