Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton made a victorious return to New Orleans with a 33-10 win over his former team, the Saints. The fans at Caesars Superdome welcomed Payton warmly, on a night that also honored Drew Brees’ induction into the Saints’ Hall of Fame.
After the game, Payton joined the Thursday Night Football crew, reflecting on the emotional experience. “It was tough coming back. There were a lot of feelings involved. But it’s all about the players,” Payton shared, as reported by Troy Renck of *The Denver Post*.
Payton, who led the Saints to a Super Bowl win in 2010, remains the franchise’s all-time winningest coach with a 152-89 record.
The Saints, playing with rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler, saw him perform well despite injuries to key receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Rattler went 25-for-35 with 172 yards and avoided turnovers against Denver’s tough defense.
The Broncos dedicated their Thursday Night Football win to Payton, with the defense shining and quarterback Bo Nix leading the offense effectively. Javonte Williams also played a key role, rushing 14 times for 88 yards and scoring two touchdowns as Denver amassed 389 total yards and built an early lead.
