During an appearance on Colin Cowherd’s show last winter, then-pundit Sean Payton called USC quarterback Caleb Williams a “truly generational player.”
Payton went on to say that he believed an NFL team could tank on purpose to secure the No. 1 overall pick in order to draft Williams. Payton noted that could lead to the NFL eventually switching to a lottery system for the draft order.
Fast forward a few months and Payton ended his coaching hiatus to take charge of the Denver Broncos, who promptly started the season 0-3, with one of those losses being a 70-20 blowout against the Miami Dolphins.
Following Denver’s dismal start under Payton, fans and pundits on Twitter/X started resharing the clip of Payton’s appearance on Cowherd’s show. A conspiracy theory quickly formed that Payton was intentionally taking to secure the No. 1 overall pick to draft Williams in April.
Here’s just a sampling of the raised eyebrows and theories on social media earlier this season.
Sean Payton believes Caleb Williams is a 'truly generational player' & is good enough that somebody will tank for him+cause the NFL to move to a lottery system to stop it happening again
I bring this up for no particular reason this October evening…pic.twitter.com/yGqS2YKfeV
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) October 13, 2023
Sean Payton on USC QB Caleb Williams:
This player, I think, is the type of player that we would look back on in five years and say "he's why the lottery exists now." 👀
(via @TheHerd) #BroncosCountry pic.twitter.com/ib7wVKIU9B
— Mile High Sports (@MileHighSports) September 30, 2023
“Wtf is going on with Denver’s defense? It’s like they’re not even trying.”
Broncos HC Sean Payton on Caleb Williams (11/28/2022):
— Scott Barrett (@ScottBarrettDFB) October 1, 2023
If this doesn’t make it obvious that Sean Payton is tanking for Caleb Williams, I don’t know what will pic.twitter.com/TEyax44zM7
— 𝙆𝙪𝙩𝙩𝙖𝘽𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖 (@dreamzz_kidd) October 1, 2023
Wasn’t it Sean Payton that said he thought Caleb Williams was worth tanking for?
— Bleeding Green Nation (@BleedingGreen) October 1, 2023
Broncos are really letting the Bears cook. How bad does Sean Payton want Caleb Williams?!
— Jon Walker (@ByJonWalker) October 1, 2023
We all thought the Cardinals were tanking but it was the Broncos all along!! Sean Payton wants Caleb Williams soooo bad.
— Fids (@loc_nate) October 12, 2023
The NFL realizing Sean Payton is tanking for Caleb Williams pic.twitter.com/FoqC55Ttfc
— 𝙆𝙪𝙩𝙩𝙖𝘽𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖 (@dreamzz_kidd) October 13, 2023
Conspiracy theory time (🧵):
Last year, Sean Payton mentioned the NFL implementing a lottery system for the draft because he thought teams would tank for Caleb Williams who he called a "generational talent."
— Mile High Mario (@VetanzeTherapy) September 25, 2023
SEAN PAYTON IS PLAYING CHESS.
VJ IS HIS PAWN AMD CALEB WILLIAMS IS THE KING
THIS METAPHOR SPIRALED BUT YOU GET IT
— Mile High Mario (@VetanzeTherapy) September 25, 2023
There’s a Broncos fanfic conspiracy theory that Sean Payton hired Vance Joseph specifically to tank for Caleb Williams and I’m not saying I believe that now but I’m starting to wonder if they have some good ideas.
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) October 1, 2023
.@nflcommish please initiate your investigation into Sean Payton and his public comments on Caleb Williams.
The world is watching.
— Ethan aka The People’s Insider aka Tank Commander (@EthanGSN) October 13, 2023
If Sean Payton wants Caleb Williams, he doesn’t need to tank. He only needs to keep VJ on the staff. Genius. pic.twitter.com/Rx3Z26JnJv
— Michael Carmellini (@Mike_Carmellini) October 1, 2023
Sean Payton appears to be successfully fixing Russell Wilson and tanking for Caleb Williams at the same time.
— Sayre Bedinger (@SayreBedinger) September 24, 2023
"At some point, we're going to move to a lottery system in the NFL. This is a player that possibly does that” – Sean Payton on Caleb Williams and how teams would want to possibly tank for him 👀
pic.twitter.com/MR9NrDKIIN— Denver Broncos 365 (@DailyBroncos) September 18, 2023
Yup. I'm 100% convinced that Sean Payton is tanking for Caleb Williams.
— Joe Ostrowski (@JoeOstrowski) October 1, 2023
“[Caleb Williams], I think, is the type of player that we would look back on in five years and say, ‘He’s why the lottery exists now.’”
– Sean Payton pic.twitter.com/EFF65GLg9h
— RK (@RyanKoenigsberg) October 1, 2023
RK's got his tinfoil hat on…
Is Sean Payton intentionally tanking for Caleb Williams?! 🤔🤔
"He's playing 4D chess here" pic.twitter.com/jd8e0cIH1w
— DNVR Broncos (@DNVR_Broncos) October 13, 2023
Sean Payton after winning a game and losing a draft spot to get Caleb Williams #BroncosCountry #LetsRide pic.twitter.com/kqokMs3Mh6
— PineapplesDontGoOnPizza (bluecheckmark) (@TheJoshuaSharp) October 29, 2023
That conspiracy theory has started to fall apart in more recent weeks. The Broncos won consecutive games going into their bye week, including an impressive 24-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Even if Denver isn’t able to make the playoffs this year, the Broncos no longer appear to be a true contender for the No. 1 overall draft pick. If Payton is trying to tank for Williams, he’s certainly not doing a good job.
It’s not unreasonable to suggest Payton wants to win. Sure, Denver doesn’t seem to be a Super Bowl contender, but that doesn’t mean the Broncos aren’t a threat to win any given game. After a big win over the Chiefs in Week 8, Denver clearly does not have a tanking mentality.
Payton might view Williams as a generational talent, but the Broncos’ coach is not tanking the 2023 season for the quarterback.
