The Denver Broncos earned a dominant preseason win over the Atlanta Falcons on Friday night, but one of the immediate headlines following the game had nothing to do with the on-field action. Coach Sean Payton is never one to mince words, and he's drawn negative headlines for what he's said in the past. At halftime of the team's win over the Falcons, he gave 9News/NFL Network sideline reporter Cynthia Frelund a soundbite that some fans will see as fantastic, while others will see as annoying. "We know you win here in Atlanta," Frelund said, referencing his days as head coach of the New Orleans Saints when the team's biggest rivalry was with the Falcons. "There's lots of people dressed up as empty seats today," Payton quipped, taking a shot at the low attendance of Falcons fans.
“A lot of people dressed up as empty seats today.” Sean Payton (still) has no love for the #Falcons. pic.twitter.com/KipI1wNJyG — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 15, 2026 The remark got a good chuckle out of Frelund and, likely, many people watching. But Payton doesn't seem to be among the NFL's most well-liked coaches by football fans outside of Denver. For confirmation of that, just read through some of the replies on that Ian Rapoport tweet. Payton was part of the "Bountygate" scandal in New Orleans. He was also the guy who took these shots at former Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett a couple of years ago, prompting this response from then-Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Fans in Denver are largely going to back Payton, particularly because it's hard to suggest that he was wrong about the job Hackett did in Denver, where he didn't even get through his first season as the team's head coach. That said, it puts somewhat of a bullseye on the Broncos and leaves fans able to revel in the team's failures, such as the time the Miami Dolphins put 70 points on the scoreboard against them in 2023. But that's competition. It doesn't always have to be friendly, and sometimes the "unwritten rules" will be breached. Some will love it, some will dislike it. It can make things more interesting. However, there is nothing to suggest that Payton will decide to start keeping things bottled up, nor should he. This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Sean Payton trolled fans of old NFC South rival after preseason win