“Sean is old school”: Playoff exit sparks honest take from Broncos’ Dre Greenlaw on life with Sean Payton

The Denver Broncos’ 2025 season ended sooner than they hoped, leaving fans to wonder what went wrong. For LB Dre Greenlaw, it wasn’t just the playoff loss—it was adapting to a completely new system under Sean Payton. The shift from his former coach, Kyle Shanahan, to Payton has been anything but simple.

Greenlaw joined the Broncos in March 2025 on a $35 million deal, and while his presence was meant to support Denver’s D-line, he admits the adjustment has been intense. Between the grind of practices and learning a complex defensive playbook, the 28-year-old says he’s still finding his footing.

Dre Greenlaw opens up on Sean Payton’s ‘old school’ style

Speaking with Zac Stevens of DNVR just 24 hours after Denver’s season ended, Greenlaw described Sean Payton as “old school.” He said, “Sean is old school. You’re going to do six days on, one day off. He’s got his way of doing things. You’re going to be practicing three hours on Wednesday and three hours on Friday.”

LB further added, “Shanahan, he’s the complete opposite.He wants you fresh. So it’s just two completely different mindsets, and they both have their way of doing things, and it’s for good reasons, too. But just having that understanding of things, understanding of the defense—I mean, that was, you know, like freaking Spanish when I first saw it.

Adjusting to Denver’s defense took time. “Understanding the defense—I mean, that was like freaking Spanish when I first saw it,” Greenlaw admitted. Injuries didn’t help either. He played just 10 of 18 games, including the postseason, but still managed 43 tackles, one sack, one interception, and one forced fumble.

Despite these issues, the star remains positive about his growth and the team’s direction. Pairing up with LB Nik Bonitto, he helped Denver finish second overall defensively, with the Broncos leading the NFL in sacks (68) and ranking sixth in defensive EPA, while limiting opposing QB's to the third-lowest QBR (49.0).

Greenlaw isn’t alone in adjusting to Payton’s system. Safety Talanoa Hufanga, also new this season, shared that Denver’s defense is far more complex than what he saw in San Francisco. Still, both players see the challenge as an opportunity. Greenlaw summed it up simply: “It’s just about understanding things and getting better every week.” As the Broncos look toward 2026, how these new pieces gel under Payton could define the team’s next chapter.







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