Broncos passed on Bill Belichick interim coach plan

A plan for legendary coach Bill Belichick to temporarily lead the Denver Broncos in pursuit of the NFL's all-time wins record was considered but never implemented, according to a recent report. The idea, which would have seen current Broncos head coach Sean Payton step aside, was ultimately deemed too complicated to execute.

The proposal was reportedly formulated by Payton in early 2024, following Belichick's departure from the New England Patriots. According to the report by ESPN senior writer Seth Wickersham, Payton considered pitching Broncos owner Greg Penner on a plan to hire Belichick as head coach until he secured 15 more victories. That total would have allowed Belichick to surpass the late Don Shula's record of 347 combined regular-season and playoff wins. Under the plan, Payton would have temporarily moved into an assistant head coach role to run the offense before resuming his head coaching duties once Belichick broke the record.

Belichick, who currently coaches at the University of North Carolina, has 333 career wins, placing him second behind Shula. The report characterized the idea as creative but ultimately "too fanciful" to materialize.