The war of words for the AFC Championship clash between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots has already begun, and Broncos head coach Sean Payton just threw the first punch. While the Broncos’ head coach addressed the fans and asked them to be loud and bold, he also dropped a statement that wasn’t taken well by the rivals. Amid his prediction of a Super Bowl run, the opponent team didn’t back down from giving a response of their own.

“They’re going to have plenty of rest after this one. Two weeks.” Payton said, signaling the Broncos’ victory at the Super Bowl. Although the comments weren’t addressed to the Patriots directly, when reporters sought a response, wide receiver Kayshon Boutte offered his take.

“Can rest in Cancun too at the end of the day,” he said, taking a calm yet bold dig at the head coach’s comments.

Payton’s remark turned out to be a confident prediction that Denver would advance to the Super Bowl, as teams that win the AFC Championship Game receive a two-week break before playing in the title game.

Boutte’s response, on the other hand, had its own bit of trash talk. He used “Cancun” as shorthand for an offseason vacation, a common phrase in sports used to describe teams whose seasons have ended.

Both teams are set to meet on Sunday in the AFC Championship clash. The game will also bring back memories of past playoff battles between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Both teams finished the regular season with a 14–3 record and earned their way to the finals with strong playoff performances.

The Broncos are entering this showdown after a 33-30 overtime win against the Bills, in which starting quarterback Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury. Now, they’ll turn to former Patriot Jarrett Stidham to lead them, leaning heavily on their run game and defense to punch their first Super Bowl win since 2015.

The Patriots, on the other hand, enter the game after scoring wins over the Chargers and Texans. This is New England’s first AFC Championship appearance since 2018. Second-year quarterback Drake Maye leads the team after a standout season that earned him MVP finalist honors.

While several comments keep floating around Sean Payton’s early prediction, the rival coach, Mike Vrabel, had to say a few things about it.

Mike Vrabel responds to Sean Payton’s confident take ahead of the championship game

The Patriots’ wide receiver wasn’t the only one to respond to Sean Payton’s words. HC Mike Vrabel also offered a take on the matter, but with a calm demeanor. With his team coming off a commendable season and his quarterback, Drake Maye, named an MVP finalist, the HC highlighted how his team is motivated enough to endure even the fiercest conditions.

“I think we’re plenty motivated for the game,” Vrabel said. “I think that our players are continuing to build confidence through the week. So I’m really excited to go out there and play.”

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Amid the ongoing banter, Mike Vrabel also has bigger things to focus on. Per the latest reports, a win would send the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl and place Vrabel alongside the most successful first-year coaches in NFL history. With this, the head coach would etch his name alongside the likes of Gary Kubiak of the Denver Broncos (2015), Jon Gruden with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Bill Callahan (2002).

While Vrabel is focused on the history books, the game will be decided on the field, where Drake Maye will have to back up his team’s confidence and prove Sean Payton’s prediction wrong.