After Losing Out on Patrick Mahomes, Sean Payton Rumored to Prevent “What If” Scenario, Per Peter Schrager

The ghost of the 2017 NFL Draft still looms large over Sean Payton. That fateful night, the fiery coach had his sights locked on Patrick Mahomes, only to watch helplessly as the Texas Tech gunslinger was snatched. Years later, Payton finds himself steering the Denver Broncos – and the whispers are growing louder.

Having felt that sting of narrowly missing a generational arm, the clock could be ticking on a monster trade-up move to snag one of 2024’s elite quarterback prospects. For the Broncos’, it signals renewed hope of finally uncovering an elusive franchise QB – or another kick-in-the-gut tease that leaves them muttering “What could have been?”

Sean Payton’s draft redemption for giving away Patrick Mahomes

“I’ve told this story before, but I’ll just bring you in on it,” Schrager recounts The Herd with Colin Cowherd. “Sean Payton and I worked together on that Fox NFL Kickoff Show and he became a dear friend.” The insider then reveals the pivotal story Payton has relayed “multiple times,” – his obsession with drafting Mahomes at #11 overall for the Saints in 2017. “He wanted Mahomes, he even told [Drew] Brees ahead of time, ‘We’re going to be doing this deal if Mahomes slips there.'”

But in a brutal turn of events, Andy Reid’s Chiefs leapfrogged the Saints, moving up to snag Mahomes one spot earlier at #10. As Schrager bluntly puts it, Payton has been left “wondering, what if” ever since. Fast forward to 2024, and the now-Broncos coach could be gearing up to seize his long-awaited Mahomes redemption arc.

The emotional toll of bypassing a generational talent like Patrick Mahomes has only amplified the desperation to unearth their elusive franchise cornerstone. Payton himself understands that anguish, having revealed to confidants like golfer Jordan Spieth back in 2017 that he viewed Mahomes as the “steal of the draft.”

This brings us to the hot rumor making rounds – Payton is determined “to not be caught with his hands tied again” on draft night 2024. As Schrager insists, “I think the Broncos are a team to watch if they can find the ammo” to engineer a trade-up for one of this year’s top quarterbacks.

Broncos’ quest for a steal of the draft

For the Denver Broncos and their long suffering fans, Sean Payton’s rumored aggressive draft move represents more than just landing an elite quarterback prospect. It signifies a shot at finally achieving closure on one of the most agonizing “what if” scenarios in franchise history.

Ever since being leapfrogged for Patrick Mahomes in 2017, the Broncos have been mired in a nightmarish quarterback purgatory. A staggering 13 different signal-callers have started over the last seven consecutive losing seasons as they fruitlessly search for Peyton Manning’s heir apparent.

The draft-day mishap proved exceptionally painful once Patrick Mahomes started etching his name into NFL lore. In just six seasons, the 28-year-old has racked up three Super Bowl wins, three Super Bowl MVPs, multiple All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors – not to mention a 12-1 record tormenting the Broncos themselves. Payton witnessed that torment firsthand last year as Denver finally snapped a 16-game skid against Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs. His remarkable ascent makes Denver’s near-miss sting even more. As Schrager laments, it’s become “a defining moment, a reminder of the draft’s unpredictability and consequences of hesitation.”

Now armed with the 12th overall pick, rumblings are growing louder that the wily coach could be working the phones for an elaborate trade-up in the first round. For the Broncos faithful dreaming of their next John Elway, the 2024 quarterback class is regarded as one of the strongest in years, loaded with tantalizing prospects like Heisman winner Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, or McCarthy. Any one of those studs could be a diamond in the rough the Broncos make a play for, as missing out could send them back into quarterback purgatory.

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