Sean Payton’s 2-word description of Broncos QBs goes viral

Aug 11, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton looks on against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Broncos may have the most interesting collection of quarterbacks in the NFL, and head coach Sean Payton has come up with a very unique description for the group.

Payton spoke highly of Zach Wilson, Jarrett Stidham and rookie Bo Nix during organized team activities this week. The coach said all three quarterbacks split first-team reps and are in competition for the starting job. Payton then described the trio as “orphan dogs.”

“We try to split up all the reps. There’s going to be a time when you read into the reps, I don’t think it’s early in OTAs,” Payton said Thursday, via ESPN’s Jeff Legwold. “It’s kind of the orphan group, they’re all orphan dogs. They’ve come from somewhere, but they’re doing good. It’s a good room.”

What did Payton mean by that? All three quarterbacks are cast-offs, in a sense. Wilson was a bust with the New York Jets after being drafted second overall in 2021. Stidham, a fourth-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2019, has played sparingly across five NFL seasons and not made much of an impact. Nix did not receive much hype as a member of a loaded QB draft class this year, though the Broncos thought highly enough of the former Oregon star to take him 12th overall.

Payton had particularly positive things to say about Nix following Thursday’s practice. Nix, Wilson and Stidham could probably all find some level of success in the right situation. In that sense, they kind of are like orphan dogs hoping to find the right home.