The Denver Broncos had a successful 2024 season. Safe to say, the team saw some major developments. They found their long-term QB in Bo Nix and finally had a winning season after eight long years. The Broncos made it to the playoffs for the first time in almost a decade. As for HC Sean Payton, he’s been vocal about his confidence in the roster, and now, he’s looking to build on that momentum. While the NFL is out here teasing what’s cooking for the 2025 season, the Broncos have already dropped a few updates of their own.

Well, Sean Payton and the Broncos brass aren’t just sitting back and going gaga over last season’s progress. They’re tweaking and tightening the roster like a team that means business. On Monday, Denver made a string of moves that prove exactly that. DNVR Broncos reporter Zac Stevens dropped some significant updates on the roster moves Payton’s team made ahead of the 2025 season. According to Stevens, the Broncos signed TE Cole Fotheringham and two rookies, inside LB Jordan Turner and WR Kyrese White. The HC continues to focus on building the roster through young talent.

Payton locked in some veteran reliability on special teams by re-signing long snapper Zach Triner. On the other hand, punter Jeremy Crawshaw received an international roster exemption, giving the team some added flexibility. To make space for the new talent, the Broncos showed the door to a few players. This offseason, Denver waived four: nose tackle Christian Dowell, TE Thomas Yassmin, inside LB K.J. Cloyd, and CB Kendall Bohler.

With these roster shake-ups, it’s clear Sean Payton is laying the groundwork for a big 2025 campaign. And it looks like the league is already throwing some high-stakes matchups Denver’s way.

Sean Payton’s Broncos are ready to reignite the rivalry

Payton was buzzing after the Broncos delivered a 38-0 shutout against the Kansas City Chiefs in the final game of the 2024 regular season. Following that win, the team made its way into the Wild Card round. Though they eventually lost to the Bills, it was Sean Payton’s postgame comment that stole the show. “There’s a lot of confidence in this team if we could get past that game, the next game we felt real good about,” Payton said, drawing on the Chiefs’ beatdown. 

But Chiefs Kingdom had their say at the time, claiming that Payton’s comment ‘wouldn’t age well.’ Well, looks like this Christmas, we’ll find out. The NFL is serving up a Christmas night showdown in 2025, with the Broncos facing the Chiefs at Arrowhead.

Only this time, it’s going to be a little different. Unlike last season’s finale, when Kansas City rested most of its starters ahead of the playoffs. This one’s smack in the middle of the action and likely with both teams in full force. That means no easy narrative, no second-string soft spots, just Sean Payton’s Broncos marching into Arrowhead on one of the most high-profile days of the season.

The NFL officially announced the matchup as part of its early schedule teaser. It’s part of Amazon Prime’s holiday slate. For Payton, this is more than a game. It’s a chance to prove that last year’s blowout wasn’t just a fluke or a footnote in Patrick Mahomes’s quiet January. So, will the Broncos be able to back up their HC’s bold words, or will the Chiefs use Christmas night to return the favor and shut them down in front of a national audience? Well, Christmas is still a long way off.