The Denver Broncos will enter Week 18 with the hopes of keeping their hold on the AFC 1st seed intact. Guided by third-year head coach Sean Payton, they got back into contender mode after years of chaos. But he is also 62 years old, and it goes without saying that his impending retirement will turn into reality at some point.

Even quarterback Bo Nix had been asking his coach about his retirement plans, and in a conversation with the media before Week 18 against the Chargers, Payton revealed how that discussion went.

“He [Nix] asked, ‘How many years you got in you?’ I said, ‘I feel great. Six, seven, eight. I don’t know. And then, we had a little moment in Vegas, and I said, ‘Look, at this rate, two’.”

Payton’s sarcasm is top-notch. Though he joked that he feels well enough to coach for many more years to come, he has also hinted that retirement might not be very far.

But he is fit, and there are plenty of coaches who have coached other franchises who were older than him. Bill Belichick and Andy Reid are two personalities who have achieved that.

However, retirement speculations about Payton have been swirling for the past few years. For instance, when he stepped down as the New Orleans Saints’ coach after the 2021 season, many assumed he was done with coaching. But that was clearly not the end for him. He took a year off coaching in 2022 and joined the Broncos the following year.

And for the past three years, he has built the Denver team. He even got quarterback Bo Nix, whom he picked in the first round (overall 12th pick) during the 2024 NFL Draft, and built the offense around him. Under his coaching, Nix has already won 23 games since coming onto the scene. This season, he has completed 63.5% of his passes for 3,790 yards and 25 touchdowns. His running game is also impressive, with 75 carries for 307 yards and five touchdowns.

While it was a humorous take from him regarding his retirement, he was serious when discussing certain improvements in the Broncos squad.

Sean Payton wants Broncos’ turnover margin to get better

Finishing as the AFC 1st seed will earn the Broncos a bye and home advantage in the playoffs, and winning against the Chargers in Week 18 is a must for it to happen. However, Sean Payton has pointed out a single aspect of the Broncos that could pose a threat to their hopes.

“The focus was on this week’s game, and the Chargers and the seeding ramifications, really trying to educate them relative to what’s going to be important here down the stretch and then improving,” Payton said on Monday. “The one area that has to improve is the turnover margin, and that can happen.”

The Denver Broncos gave away the ball 17 times. With a -5 turnover margin, Denver shares the 25th spot with the San Francisco 49ers. For a team that has confirmed its playoff berth and is on the verge of winning the AFC West title, not to mention the 1st seed, it seems a serious issue, especially if they are within the last ten teams.

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The issue at hand points towards the defense failing to do their jobs, but that is not the case. The Broncos have missed various interceptions, especially safety Talanoa Hufanga, who has missed several interceptions.

With the playoffs approaching, they need to address the problem sooner; otherwise, things may not turn out the way they hope they will. Not only that, but it would have also increased Hufanga’s chances of making it to the Pro Bowl. Winning is a must for the Broncos with the Patriots breathing down their necks for that top seed, and the Jaguars are hoping both of them slip, and they clinch that title with a win.

Despite that, the Broncos still have a good chance of coming out of Week 18 as victors. The Chargers head coach, Jim Harbaugh, will bench QB Justin Herbert this weekend so that he stays fresh for the playoffs.

Nevertheless, it will be a challenging task for Denver to overcome the Chargers. It will be interesting to see whether they take a step towards positivity with the turnover margin and they hold on to their 1st seed, or their last home game of the regular season turns into a disappointment. And if things go right, we could hopefully see another Super Bowl for Payton. Until then, retirement might continue to be a topic of sarcasm for him.