A life-sized cardboard cutout of first-year offensive coordinator Davis Webb recently stood sentinel in a Denver Broncos staff meeting, a move orchestrated by head coach Sean Payton that grabbed everyone’s attention. Webb himself did a double take when he walked in, seeing a figure nearly his 6-foot-5 stature, complete with long hair and reading glasses perched low on the nose, a dead ringer for his own game-plan deep-dive look. But this wasn’t just some camp prank; Payton had a very specific message he wanted to deliver to his young play-caller.
Payton’s Old School Playbook Tactic
Payton summed it up simply to Yahoo Sports, saying, “You got to have some change-of-pace stuff… It was funny. You got to do that stuff at camp.” But make no mistake, this wasn’t just for laughs. Payton’s known for his intense approach, and he saw Webb, fresh into his OC role, pushing a brand new offensive install at a pace and volume he felt might be too much for the players. This isn’t just about X’s and O’s; it’s about player readiness, especially when you’ve got a guy like 2024 first-round draft pick Bo Nix trying to absorb it all.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Payton and Webb have gone through this dance. For the past three years, with Payton calling plays, Webb served as a trusted sounding board. The 62-year-old coach, with his “PhD.-level knowledge” of the game, consistently relied on Webb, a guy who spent six seasons as an NFL quarterback, to give him the honest truth. Webb would recall those 2 AM or 3 AM meetings, Payton asking him if things were “too much” when Webb had his glasses down. And Webb would tell him straight: “Yes, this is too much. And we have too much of a game plan.” They’d then strip things down, making it all more digestible. It’s been a tradition, a real trust between them.
The Cardboard’s Silent Command
So, when Payton saw this new install hitting the practice field, loaded with “a lot of shifts and motions and plays,” some fresh ideas the staff cooked up this offseason to test against defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, he knew exactly what to do. He got that cardboard cutout, put the glasses halfway down its nose, and declared, “I want this to be the reminder for that quarterback coach telling me I had too much.” It’s a silent command, a constant presence telling sentient Webb: “Install and call what best serves your players, at the rate that best serves your players.” Think about the pressure on a first-year OC. Payton’s not just coaching; he’s mentoring, ensuring that the offense is built for success, not just complexity. This is about making sure the whole squad, especially young guys like Nix, can actually execute what’s being asked of them.
This kind of leadership is what separates the good coaches from the great ones. As the Broncos get ready to kick off their season on Monday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs, you can bet Davis Webb will have that message front and center. While Denver’s offense will still carry plenty of Payton’s Super Bowl-winning ethos, this move signals that Webb, an up-and-coming coordinator, is truly being empowered to find his own rhythm and flavor, all while keeping the players’ ability to absorb and execute as the top priority. What a way to set the tone for the season, right?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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