Sean Payton embraces national spotlight. And Broncos players love that about him: “He has this swag to him”

Sean Payton wants the biggest spotlight there is.

When the league asked Denver’s head coach if he wanted his team’s upcoming road matchup against the Chargers to be flexed into Thursday night, three days earlier than originally scheduled, he didn’t hesitate.

When it was announced Tuesday that the Broncos will play Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 28, in their third nationally televised game in four weeks, Payton told his players to get used to it.

“That’s what we’re looking for,” he said.

Payton is not afraid of the entire world watching him and his team. And that confidence has flowed through the locker room, creating belief that has propelled Denver to success.

“He’s always had this swag about him,” tight end Adam Trautman said. “He wants the big spotlight. He believes in taking chances. That’s what makes you want to play for him.”

Growing up, Trautman was like many football players who would sit in front of the television to watch Monday and Sunday Night Football. Playing in those games as a player is a morale booster.

Rookie wide receiver Troy Franklin loves the opportunity for the entire country to focus their attention on the Broncos. More importantly, he loves that Payton fully embraces those moments and has the utmost faith in his team.

“He knows what he got,” Franklin told The Denver Post. “It’s cool to show everybody what the Denver Broncos are all about.”

This season, the Broncos have won both of their prime-time matchups. They demolished New Orleans, 33-10, on Thursday Night Football in Week 7. Two weeks ago on Monday Night Football, Denver held on to beat the Browns, 41-32, in a thrilling shootout.

Denver’s game against the Chargers, however, isn’t a normal prime-time game. If the Broncos win, they will clinch a spot in the postseason for the first time since Peyton Manning retired. As a member of the 49ers, starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey played his fair share of high-stake primetime games, most notably Super Bowl 54.

For him, the key to handling the moment is treating the days leading up to the game as normal as possible.

“I think if you over-hype it, you end up seeing ghosts,” said McGlinchey, who admitted to seeing a few ghosts during the early days of his seven-year career. “I think we have a really good coaching staff right now that doesn’t allow those things to happen.”

In Los Angeles, the Broncos will have to play a near-perfect game to beat the Chargers and shine in the national spotlight once again. Denver learned from its previous matchup — a 23-16 loss in Week 6 — quarterback Justin Herbert takes care of the ball, which allows the Chargers to control the time of possession. The Chargers controlled the ball for 37 minutes, 23 seconds when both teams squared off at Empower Field in October. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix threw two picks in the loss, giving Denver even less time to stage a comeback.

Nix isn’t going into the game with a win-and-in mentality. He already has bigger goals in mind.

“We’ve got three games to win three, go into the playoffs and win a Super Bowl,” the rookie QB said.

Back in June, receiver Courtland Sutton expressed displeasure with the Broncos’ lack of nationally televised games (2) on the schedule.

“It speaks a lot (about) how the league sees our team and where the respect level is for us,” Sutton said then. “We’ve carried a chip on our shoulder.”

Sutton knew winning would attract attention. And that’s what Denver did.

Last week, the Broncos secured their first winning season since 2016 when they defeated Indianapolis, 31-13. They’ve won four straight since losing to the Chiefs on a blocked field goal attempt.

The Broncos are now having to adjust their practice schedule and compress film study sessions after getting flexed into a prime-time slot. Do they care? No, because it’s another sign of the franchise trending in the right direction.

“If that means you can’t really talk to the fiancé or wife as much as you want, that’s what it takes,” Trautman said.

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