Hall of Famer Terrell Davis on Sean Payton Giving Up Broncos’ Play Calling

Sean Payton has had two hands on the wheel for decades. This season he is handing them over, and Terrell Davis thinks that says more about Payton than about the Broncos offense.

"I think Sean's been calling plays for forever," Davis told Rich. "And now you have Davis Webb who from all accounts, man, he gets praised a lot. A lot of people say he's a brilliant mind, and there was a reason why Sean didn't let him go and then bring him back and then offered him to call the plays."

The tell, for Davis, was something Payton admitted himself last season.

"Sean has admitted to this last year where he says that it's difficult now when he calls plays because he thinks about what can go wrong more than what is really happening with the play," Davis said. "So that's kind of a sign where I think he's recognizing maybe it is time for somebody else to call the plays."

That is a coach describing the exact moment instinct turns into hesitation. Davis reads it as self-awareness, not decline. Payton can still take a different role, still come over the top from time to time, still call an audible when he sees something. He just does not have to run the whole thing anymore.

Davis also likes what the change does to the room. Bo Nix seems happy with Webb, and the two appear to have a real relationship.

"That's really how things take off, is when you have a quarterback and a coordinator who are collaborating on the plays," Davis said. "It tends to work out a lot better that way."

Rich went further and framed it as a legacy item. Of everything Payton has accomplished, actually letting go of the play sheet might be the biggest one.

"If he's able to take away the control freakishness of calling plays and literally let somebody else do it, with the occasional coming over the top, that would be one of the biggest accomplishments of his entire career," Rich said, adding that he plans to tell Payton exactly that the next time he is on the show.

Davis agreed, then found the analogy that made the segment.

"Everything evolves," he said. "The game will never pass him by, but by his own admission he talked about calling plays and thinking more about the negatives than the positives, and that might be a sign to just let somebody else take the steering wheel."

Then Davis compared Payton to his own wife, whom he described as a great backseat driver. He is the one driving. She is the one supplying the directions, the speed notes, the commentary about stopping too fast.

Rich saw the opening and took it. Would she ever just trust the driver and stop giving directions?

"I don't think so," Davis said.

Which is the whole point. Payton letting Webb call it and staying quiet is not a scheme question. It is a personality question, and nobody, including Davis, is fully convinced the quiet part lasts.