Woody Paige: Broncos CEO Greg Penner must hire Sean Payton -- and he knows it

Jan. 18—Greg Penner is balls-out and all in on Sean Payton.

The quest for a head coach is not about replacing the grass at Mile High or reducing the price of a vacuum cleaner at Walmart. Broncos CEO and Walmart board chairman Penner has said he has "got to get this right."

That's why he must hire Sean Payton.

The Penner-Payton Process was extremely productive in Los Angeles for several hours Tuesday, and the Broncos will continue negotiations with Don Yee, Payton's agent. Meanwhile, Payton interviews with others, but not the Rams, the Chargers, the Dolphins, the Cowboys and the Saints.

The operational owner's effort will be the most imperative of his careers in discount department stores, investment management and professional football.

January is not the month to select a fourth first-time head coach since 2009 in Ejiro Evero or DeMeco Ryans. Jim Caldwell is not the solution. He would be the oldest head coach in franchise history and hasn't been in the league for three seasons and a head coach in six years. The Broncos aren't turning to their first coach from Stanford (David Shaw) since John Ralston or a Michigan coach (Jim Harbaugh) who used Penner to gain new love and more money from the Wolverines.

The search committee of Penner, his wife, Carrie Walton Penner, general manager George Paton and minority shareholder Condoleezza Rice has three options: Payton, Cowboys defensive coordinator and former Super Bowl-losing head coach Dan Quinn and Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, a former head coach and two-time Super Bowl champion as an assistant coach.

Payton and Morris were interviewed in Los Angeles Tuesday, and the Broncos will meet with Quinn Friday.

If Payton declines the Broncos' offer and chooses the Panthers, the Texans, the Cardinals or his network TV job, the Broncos' other remaining viable options are Morris and Quinn.

It's unknown by all of the other media and Broncos backers that Morris was interviewed by the team for the head coaching job before — in 2009. Then the Buccaneers' 32-year-old defensive coordinator, Morris impressed Broncos' owner Pat Bowlen and COO Joe Ellis very much, but the two picked Josh McDaniels, the Patriots' offensive coordinator who also was 32.

Morris replaced Jon Gruden as Bucs head coach. He later coached under Quinn with the Falcons and took over as interim coach when Quinn was fired during the 2020 season. Morris is 46. He'd probably bring Rams assistant head coach/tight ends coach Thomas Brown, who has been interviewed by the Texans for their vacant head coaching job, as offensive coordinator.

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The 52-year-old Quinn was the primary favorite to become the Broncos' head coach a year ago. It's been unreported until this column that Quinn interviewed badly, as he admitted to associates. Although named a finalist, Quinn didn't receive a second interview and was passed over for Nathaniel Hackett. Quinn, whose Falcons and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan blew a 28-3 lead over the Patriots in Super Bowl LI, has another opportunity.

Shanahan is not available anymore. Despite a sensational interview in January 2017 with the Broncos, Shanahan blew his head coaching chance in Denver by making one negative comment when he told John Elway he didn't value Elway's prized 2016 quarterback Paxton Lynch. Elway went with Vance Joseph.

Quinn obviously will prepare differently this year in his meeting with Penner and Paton and is coming off the Monday night victory. He'll probably recommend Morris as his assistant head coach/defensive coordinator and Darrell Bevell as offensive coordinator.

Penner believed his first six months as Broncos' owner-CEO would be hassle-free as the team won eight to nine games and perhaps a playoff spot. Yet, the Broncos' purchase seemed the second-worst embarrassment to a provocative social media service, and Penner had to be Hackett-free. He didn't anticipate firing and hiring so quickly.

Penner has become "ultra-aggressive" with Harbaugh and Payton. One down, the second he hopes is up.

As a businessman, Penner is accustomed to the terms "move the needle" and "raise the bar." He has to effect change that elevates the Broncos to a mile-higher level and by a noticeable degree with a coaching choice.

Quinn and/or Morris might be orange- and blue-light specials.

But Payton is Penner's pick, and Payton prefers Penner so far.

Will they seal the real deal?

Penner can't get this wrong.