Broncos pay big money to get Payton

DENVER: The Denver Broncos are making Sean Payton one of the highestpaid coaches in NFL history with a contract worth somewhere between US$17 million and $20 million per season.

Payton was introduced by the Broncos on Monday.

NBC Sports put the price tag at $18 million per season on at least a fiveyear contract.

Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams reportedly was the highest-paid NFL coach at $15 million to $18 million per season.

Payton, 59, was seeking a deal worth $20 million to $25 million, according to Pro Football Talk.

The Broncos and New Orleans Saints agreed to compensation last week that cleared the path for Payton to be hired by the Broncos.

Denver traded a first-round pick in 2023 — No.29 overall — and a secondround pick in 2024 for Payton and a third-round pick.

Payton on Monday credited his wife with getting him back into coaching after a year of working only Sundays as an analyst on the Fox studio show.

Payton took last season off after coaching New Orleans to a 152-89 record in 15 seasons. He guided the Saints to the 2009 season Super Bowl title.

Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots becomes the third-highest paid coach at with a reported $12.5 million per season.

Seattle’s Pete Carroll ($11 million) and San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan ($9.5 million) round out the top five, reportedly.

BRADY TO START FOX JOB IN ’24

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady said on Monday he will wait until the 2024 NFL season to start his new role as a television commentator after retiring last week.

The 45-year-old former signal caller declared last Wednesday he is ending his playing career for good after ending a brief retirement last year for one final campaign with Tampa Bay, in which the Buccaneers were ousted in the first round of the play-offs.

In 2022, Brady was announced as a commentator for Fox Sports after he retired. But Brady plans to wait and learn next season before taking his talents to the booth.

“I want to be great at what I do,” Brady told Fox Sports.

“I was talking even last week with the people at Fox Sports, and the leadership there allowing me to start my opportunity in the fall of 2024 is something that’s great for me.”