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Every team in the NFL sets goals to begin its season. One of the most common is winning its division. That is something that the Denver Broncos accomplished in 2025, capturing the AFC West crown for the first time since 2015. That snapped an improbable nine-year stretch when the Kansas City Chiefs won the division.
But there are bigger fish to fry for these Broncos. That is something head coach Sean Payton reminded his team of.
On Monday, Payton joined the Orange and Blue Today podcast to discuss a variety of topics. But he made it very clear where the team’s mindset is.
“The equipment guy, Flip [Chris Valenti] texts me, ‘What do you want me to do?’ And I just said, ‘Put them [AFC West champion hats and shirts] in the lockers. We actually didn’t even talk about it,” Payton said of winning the division.
“I haven’t seen the hats or the shirts. My understanding is that they are pretty ugly.”
Instead, the Super Bowl-winning head coach remained focused on what is in front of the Broncos.
“The focus was on this week’s game and the Chargers and the seeding ramifications.”
A win on Sunday against Los Angeles will clinch the number one seed and a first-round bye for the Broncos. All roads in the AFC would go through Denver. With the Chargers’ Week 17 loss to the Houston Texans, Los Angeles has been relegated to a wild-card spot.
But do not expect the Chargers to lie down on Sunday. They still have a shot at the coveted fifth seed in the AFC playoffs. That would give them a game against the AFC North winner, avoiding some of the conference’s top teams.
They already defeated the Broncos back in Week 3, 23-20. So, Denver ought to be fully prepared for a fight.
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