Ex-Broncos OC Joe Lombardi: Sean Payton 'was in one of those moods where he felt like some changes needed to be made'

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2026-01-30

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Ex-Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi could sense The Turk was coming for him.

After being fired this week, Lombardi told Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette that he was not surprised that coach Sean Payton made a coaching staff change.

“Sean decided to move on, and I guess that’s all there is to say,” Lombardi told Tomasson in a phone interview. “I don’t think it’s ever a surprise (in the NFL). Not really. … I think you could tell he (Payton) was in one of those moods where he felt like some changes needed to be made and I guess he decided one of those was me. So I’ve been around him long enough to kind of read the tea leaves, I guess.”

Lombardi joined the Broncos when Payton was hired in 2023. He’d been with Payton, on and off, throughout his NFL career, spending 12 years under him across two stints with the New Orleans Saints.

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The 54-year-old isn’t new to being fired. He was let go from his first OC job in Detroit after just 23 games (2014-15). After two years as the Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator (2021-22), he was fired by Brandon Staley. As such, he said his latest pink slip from a longtime friend in Payton won’t hinder their relationship.

“I think it’s part of the business,” he said. “I mean, he employed me for a long time. I’m appreciative of that.”

Payton calls the offense, with Lombardi and others helping build the weekly scheme and coaching up players. Lombardi dismissed the idea that he was the fall guy for the postseason failure, with backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham starting against New England.

“Well, we made it to the AFC Championship,” Lombardi said. “I don’t know why there needs to be a scapegoat, so I’m not sure what I’m being scapegoated for. I thought it was a good season. So, no, I didn’t feel like that in any way. I just think (Payton) just wanted to go in another direction.”

If passing game coordinator and QBs coach Davis Webb doesn’t land the Las Vegas Raiders coaching job, he’d be a logical choice to get a promotion that keeps the rising star in Denver. Another in-house option could be assistant head coach and run game coordinator Zach Streif, who played under Payton in New Orleans.