Ex-Broncos lineman Mark Schlereth got to know Sean Payton after unexpected call in 2010

Apr. 4—In the summer of 2010, former Broncos offensive lineman Mark Schlereth got a call out of the blue from Sean Payton.

Payton earlier that year had led the New Orleans Saints to a Super Bowl win in his fourth season as coach. He sought to repeat the feat in his fifth year.

Payton was looking for ways to motivate his players. And he had heard some comments from Schlereth, then an ESPN analyst, about what it takes to repeat. Schlereth won Super Bowls with Washington after the 1991 season and later was on the Broncos when they won it all after the 1997 and 1998 seasons.

"He asked me after they won the Super Bowl to come out and speak to his team, so he flew me out," said Schlereth, who played in the NFL from 1989-2000, including 1995-2000 with the Broncos, and continues to live in the Denver area. "And then over the years, we've stayed in touch and stayed fairly close."

After spending 15 seasons coaching the Saints, Payton took 2022 off before being named Denver's coach in February. Payton spent last season as a Fox studio analyst while Schlereth was a Fox game analyst, so that provided them additional time to get together.

"We've just been friends for the last dozen or so years," Schlereth said. "He's always been a guy that's been good to me, and I can call him at any time and ask him, 'Hey, man, explain what you're doing here.' "

During Schlereth's final four seasons as an NFL player, Payton was an assistant coach with Philadelphia and the New York Giants. And then Schlereth got into broadcasting. But the two didn't really get to know each other until Payton invited him to speak at Saints training camp in 2010.

"He had heard me talking about repeating and going back-to-back on TV and he liked my insight, so he wanted me to share it with the team," Schlereth said. "It was just basically (telling the players) not to be selfish and playing for one another, and that kind of stuff. I talked about the pitfalls of winning, and guys tend to get a bit selfish, and all that stuff."

The Saints didn't end up repeating. They went 11-5 in 2010 and were stunned 41-36 to open the playoffs at Seattle, which went just 7-9 during the regular season. But Payton still brought Schlereth back to a training camp.

Schlereth said that late in the past decade, Payton had him come to New Orleans for a few days to work with Saints offensive linemen and tight ends.

Schlereth said over the years he has talked to Payton about the possibility of one day becoming an NFL assistant. He said there were no discussions with Payton when he came to Denver about having a role on his staff but that it might be something he would be open to the future. Schlereth, who hosts the "Stinkin Truth" podcast, said he likely would have to take a pay cut if he ever left broadcasting for coaching.

As for Payton taking over the Broncos, Schlereth likes the move. Payton, 59, inherits a team that hasn't made the playoffs since winning the Super Bowl after the 2015 season. Denver's had six straight losing seasons and last season went 5-12, including 4-11 before first-year coach Nathaniel Hackett was fired just after his 43rd birthday.

"I just know of how good of a coach (Payton) is, how detailed he is," Schlereth said. "They've got an adult coaching their football team, an adult that commands respect and fear within the building, which is a good thing.

"He has that based on what he has done, and the fear is that if you don't do your job, your butt is going to be fired. That is something incredibly important, and I think that has been something that has been lacking with this team the last couple of years. I just think guys truly haven't been held accountable, and I think you'll see that change."

While Payton didn't repeat as a Super Bowl champion after the 2010 season and never did get the Saints back to the big game, he will have a chance to make history with the Broncos. No coach ever has won a Super Bowl with two different teams.