Broncos Get Good News About Super Bowl Champion With Ties to Sean Payton

The Denver Broncos are locked in on this season, but their plans for the future are already coming to light. In an interesting development, former New Orleans Saints running back Darren Sproles is leaning towards joining the Broncos as a coaching intern.

Sproles, the No. 140 overall pick out of Kent State in the 2005 draft by the then-San Diego Chargers, won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017.

He will bring his talents to the Broncos in an entirely new capacity for him, starting in 2026.

Darren Sproles Leaning Toward Joining Broncos Coaching Staff

Sproles played for Broncos head coach Sean Payton on the Saints for three seasons from 2011 through 2013.

Sproles confirmed the news to Kay Adams.

“Sean has called me about it, and I think I’m going to take him up on it. Because I feel like my next calling is to coach. I feel like like with me starting this high school coaching a little bit, I’m loving it. And I feel like that’s my next calling,” Sproles said on “Up & Adams” on November 6.

“I just love the day-to-day grind of preparation, you know what I’m saying? That’s what I feel like I’m missing.”

Sproles said Payton reached out to him after hearing about the former tailback coaching high school ball. Payton previously tried to recruit former Saints left tackle Terron Armstead in a similar capacity following his retirement from the Miami Dolphins.

However, Sproles clarified that he has not yet accepted the offer, but is leaning in that direction.

Sean Payton Praises Darren Sproles

Payton cited Sproles as the one player he would have added to last season’s Broncos team over options like Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham.

According to Payton, “there was something about freakin’ Darren Sproles,” with the coaching adding that the veteran’s “football IQ was off the charts” during an interview with The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and Chase Daniel.

“He would do something every time like, even something you’d never cover,” Payton told Russini and Daniel on “Scoop City” in August. “On a choice route, slip under an end, come up the field and it was always the right thing. And so Sproles is one of those unique guys that then you forget about his talent as a runner.”

Payton and the Broncos will look to take advantage of Sproles’ IQ next season.

Broncos Have Their Own Darren Sproles

Sproles also said he is most eager to work with former Dallas Cowboys running back Deuce Vaughn, who is on the Broncos’ practice squad. The retired runner says he sees a lot of himself in Vaughn and believes he can have a long career, particularly under Payton.

However, the Broncos already have their own version in rookie second-round draft pick RJ Harvey.

Harvey has drawn comparisons to Sproles since entering the league. He has made them accurate with 46 rushes for 205 yards and 2 touchdowns compared to 23 receptions for 166 yards and 4 TDs this season.

He also embraced the comparisons to Sproles and other Saints backs.

“Yeah, definitely want to be like those guys,” Harvey told reporters in May. “Darren Sproles … he went crazy with the Saints. [Alvin] Kamara, too, so. I want to be better than those guys, so I’m gonna work every day, get better, and just prove myself to all the vets and the coaches. And I want to make a immediate impact in this league, so.”

The Broncos even use Harvey in tandem with veteran free agent signing J.K. Dobbins, much like Payton’s Saints did with Sproles and Kamara.

Sproles joining the Broncos would be a fitting step for all parties involved.

Saints QB Tyler Shough reveals he couldn’t close jaw after painful facial injury

New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough opened up Wednesday afternoon about the painful reality of his first NFL start. The 26-year-old rookie revealed that he couldn’t close his jaw for nearly two days following a violent helmet-to-helmet hit in Sunday’s Week 9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams — a play that resulted in a roughing the passer penalty. The update added yet another difficult moment to a trying season for the Saints, who have struggled to find stability at quarterback. The hit served as a reminder of the physical toll the position demands, especially for young quarterbacks still finding their footing.

ESPN’s Katherine Terrell took to her X (formerly known as Twitter), sharing that Shough was still feeling the effects well into the week, including painful treatment on his jaw area after the game.

“Tyler Shough said he couldn’t close his jaw properly until yesterday because he got hit hard in the face during that sack on Sunday. He said he got treatment via needles to his face/jaw area. ‘Hurt like shit,’ he said. ‘But it’s all part of it.’”

The rookie’s resilience stood out even amid a 34-10 loss. Despite taking the hit from Rams outside linebacker Byron Young, Shough stayed in the game and led the Saints on a 71-yard touchdown drive capped by his first career scoring pass — an 11-yard strike to Juwan Johnson. It became a defining early-career moment for the young Saints quarterback, who continues to showcase toughness behind a shaky offensive line.

Shough, a second-round pick out of Louisville, has already drawn praise from head coach Kellen Moore for his composure under pressure. The Saints’ 1-8 record may not show it, but his development is one of the few bright spots in an otherwise challenging campaign.

The Saints offense remains a work in progress, but performances like Shough’s show a competitive edge the locker room can rally around. As the Saints prepare for Week 10 vs. the Carolina Panthers, all signs point to Shough starting once again — jaw fully intact, but battle-tested.

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