Colin Cowherd has long been a fan of Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, but after seeing the team's 2026 schedule, he's convinced the league doesn't share his admiration. On Friday's episode of The Herd, Cowherd laid out a theory that the NFL quietly punished the Broncos by giving them one of the toughest early slates in recent memory.
“I’m not a conspiracy guy, but I believe this. I think Sean Payton has a mixed relationship with the league office…NFL does not like friendly fire. Zip it. Look at Denver’s schedule, they’re punishing them,” Cowherd said, pointing to a front-loaded gauntlet of playoff-caliber opponents.
A Six-Week Nightmare
The Broncos' first six weeks read like a who's who of NFL powerhouses. They open on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football, then host the AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2. Week 3 brings the NFC Championship runner-up Los Angeles Rams, followed by road trips to the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Chargers—both playoff teams—in Weeks 4 and 5. To cap it off, they face the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on a short week in Week 6 on Thursday Night Football.
That's a stretch where even a strong team could easily go 1-5 or 0-6. Cowherd argues that the league could have spread out the tough games but chose not to, effectively putting the Broncos in a hole before the season even gets going.
Bo Nix's Recovery Adds Uncertainty
The schedule's brutal start is compounded by uncertainty at quarterback. Starting QB Bo Nix is expected to fully recover from the season-ending ankle injury he suffered during the playoffs, but there's no guarantee he'll be at full strength early in the season. This has led to speculation about the Broncos eyeing Aaron Rodgers as a potential stopgap, though nothing is official. Meanwhile, Broncos fans are on edge about whether Nix will be ready for Week 1.
The Back Half: Smooth Sailing?
Interestingly, after that brutal opening, the schedule flips dramatically. From Week 7 onward, the Broncos face the Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs (at home), Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders (twice), Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets. That's a much softer stretch that could allow Denver to make a playoff push—if they survive the early storm.
Cowherd's theory taps into a broader sentiment that the NFL sometimes uses scheduling as a tool. Whether it's a conspiracy or just bad luck, the Broncos are being thrown into the deep end. For a team already dealing with questions about its quarterback situation, that's a tough hand to be dealt.
Do you think Cowherd is onto something? The debate is sure to rage on as the season approaches.
