DENVER, CO — January 3, 2026

Courtland Sutton is a Denver Bronco for the long haul now, locked in through 2029 on a four-year, $92 million extension. But as the Broncos prepare for their playoff run with the best record in the NFL at 13-3, Sutton is revealing just how close he came to walking away from the only organization he’s ever known.

In a candid conversation with reporters this week, Sutton admitted that contract frustrations and years of trade rumors had left him “open and optimistic about the fact that I’ll be able to be here for the rest of my career” — but that optimism didn’t always exist.

“There was a point where I genuinely thought my time in Denver was over,” Sutton confessed. “The trade rumors every year, the contract situation last spring, feeling like I had to prove my worth over and over again — it wears on you.”

Multiple teams pursued Sutton ahead of the 2025 season, with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reporting that “several teams have tried” to trade for the wide receiver, including the Pittsburgh Steelers who were desperate for receiving help after failing to land Brandon Aiyuk.

What changed everything? One conversation with Sean Payton.

The Meeting That Saved a Partnership

According to Sutton, the turning point came during a private meeting with Payton in April 2025, shortly after the coach publicly declared at the NFL combine that “we felt like he had a real good season. He’s important to what we’re doing.”

But it wasn’t the public praise that moved Sutton — it was what Payton told him behind closed doors.

“Coach Payton sat me down and said, ‘I know you’ve been through hell with this organization. I know you’ve felt undervalued. But I need you to understand something: Bo Nix needs you. This offense needs you. And I’m going to make damn sure you get taken care of,'” Sutton recalled, his voice thick with emotion.

“That conversation changed everything for me. It wasn’t about money at that point — it was about feeling valued, feeling like I was part of the plan, not just a trade chip.”

The authenticity of that moment resonated deeply with Sutton, who had endured years of uncertainty despite being the Broncos’ most productive receiver.

Years of Frustration Led to the Brink

To understand why Sutton nearly left, you have to understand what he endured before Payton’s arrival transformed everything.

In 2024, Sutton stayed away from the entire offseason program, skipping every OTA session while seeking a new contract. Though he attended mandatory minicamp, the relationship had frayed to the point where one source described discussions as “contentious.”

The Broncos, wrestling with $84 million in dead cap space that year, offered Sutton only a restructure that added $1.7 million in performance-based incentives for 2024 rather than guaranteed money — essentially kicking the can down the road while Denver cleaned up their salary cap mess.

For a receiver coming off a 2023 season with a career-high 10 touchdown catches, it felt like a slap in the face.

“I outperformed my contract two years in a row, and all I got was incentives that I had to earn by hitting targets,” Sutton said. “Meanwhile, my former teammate Jerry Jeudy was making $17.5 million per year with Cleveland, and I was scheduled to make $14 million, which ranked 25th among receivers.”

The trade rumors became annual background noise. Media outlets routinely included Sutton in “players who could be traded” lists, with speculation that Denver might deal him if they couldn’t agree on an extension, particularly as younger receivers like Marvin Mims Jr. and Troy Franklin developed.

“Every year, it’s ‘Will Sutton get traded?’ Every year, I’m hearing my name linked to other teams,” Sutton said. “At some point, you start to wonder if the organization even wants you here.”

How Payton Changed Everything

When Sean Payton arrived in Denver in 2023, he immediately recognized what others had missed: Courtland Sutton, when healthy and properly utilized, was one of the NFL’s most reliable receivers.

Under Payton’s system, Sutton thrived. In 2024, he recorded career-highs with 81 catches and 1,081 yards while adding eight touchdowns, making him one of just five NFL players with at least eight touchdown catches in each of the past two seasons.

More importantly, Sutton ranked first in the NFL on third-down plays in receiving yards, receiving first downs, and receptions of at least 20 yards — exactly the kind of clutch production championship teams require.

“Sean saw me differently than previous coaches,” Sutton explained. “He didn’t just see a big receiver who could go up and get jump balls. He saw someone who could move the chains, someone quarterbacks could trust in critical moments.”

That trust became especially important for rookie Bo Nix, who targeted Sutton 135 times — 65 more than any other Broncos player and 80 more than the next-highest receiver. Sutton became Nix’s security blanket, the receiver the young quarterback looked for when plays broke down and games hung in the balance.

“Bo and I have something special,” Sutton said. “That connection doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen if I’m wearing a different uniform. That’s what Coach Payton understood — you can’t just plug in a new receiver and expect the same results.”

The Extension That Almost Didn’t Happen

Even with Payton’s public support, the extension negotiations in summer 2025 were far from smooth. During the first week of training camp, Sutton participated only in individual drills and walk-throughs, sitting out all 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 team work as talks continued.

Payton acknowledged the situation publicly, saying “Courtland is real smart. He’s been participating in all the individual, all the 1-on-1s. He’s done 7-on-7, he’s gotten team reps. He’s just being smart.”

Behind the scenes, however, Sutton’s camp was frustrated that Denver still hadn’t committed long-term despite his production under Payton. With receiver contracts exploding across the league — CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson, and A.J. Brown all signing deals worth $30+ million per year — Sutton felt he deserved security commensurate with his performance.

The breakthrough came on July 28, 2025. Just an hour after Payton told reporters the sides were “real close,” the four-year, $92 million extension was announced.

The deal included $41 million in guaranteed money — $14 million Sutton was already owed for 2025 plus $27 million in new guarantees. At $23 million per year average, the contract tied Sutton for 18th among NFL receivers, putting him alongside Calvin Ridley.

Taking Less to Win More

Here’s where Sutton’s story becomes even more remarkable: he could have pushed for significantly more.

“The deal that we wound up signing is a great deal, and it was very beneficial to myself,” Sutton told The Denver Post. “And it gives us a chance to be able to keep a lot of really good players around on this team and for years to come.”

With most big-money receiver contracts hitting the $30 million mark, Sutton’s $23 million figure represented him leaving money on the table — a conscious decision to ensure Denver could afford to keep the roster together.

“It wasn’t about me,” Sutton explained. “At the end of the day, yes, we work in a business of compensation. [There’s] talent in that locker room, guys that are coming up, that are trying to get their second contract. I was blessed to be able to get my third. They put the work in just the same way as I have.”

That team-first mentality, instilled and reinforced by Payton’s culture, represents a dramatic shift from the Sutton who nearly walked away in frustration just months earlier.

The Broncos He Almost Left Behind

What makes Sutton’s near-departure so haunting for Broncos fans is imagining this season without him.

At 13-3 with the best record in the NFL, Denver is riding a franchise-record 10-game winning streak heading into Week 18. They’ve already clinched the AFC West and are in prime position for the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Sutton has been instrumental in that success, continuing his role as Bo Nix’s most trusted target. Since Payton’s hiring, Sutton’s production has “skyrocketed, and he has gone from being viewed as a disappointment/trade candidate to one of the better touchdown-producing weapons in the NFL.”

If Sutton had been traded last offseason — as the Pittsburgh Steelers and several other teams reportedly pursued — would Bo Nix have developed as quickly? Would the Broncos offense have clicked so seamlessly? Would Denver be preparing for a playoff run as the AFC’s top seed?

“I don’t even want to think about it,” one Broncos teammate said. “Court is the heartbeat of this receiving room. Him and Bo have something special. Losing that would’ve set us back years.”

What Payton’s Conversation Really Meant

Reflecting on that pivotal April meeting with Payton, Sutton gets emotional when discussing what it meant to feel genuinely valued.

“I’d given this organization everything,” Sutton said. “I played through injuries, I restructured my contract to help the cap, I mentored younger receivers, I never caused drama even when I had every right to. And for years, I felt like it didn’t matter. Like I was expendable.”

Payton’s willingness to fight for Sutton — both in contract negotiations and in how he utilized him schematically — changed that perception entirely.

“Coach Payton told me, ‘You’re not a placeholder. You’re not a bridge receiver until we find someone better. You’re THE guy,'” Sutton recalled. “When someone believes in you like that, when they back it up with actions and not just words, it makes you want to run through walls for them.”

The Legacy Being Built

Sutton now has the opportunity to “finish his career as a member of the Denver Broncos” — something that seemed impossible just a year ago.

With 379 career receptions for 5,340 yards and 32 touchdowns through seven seasons, Sutton already ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders. His extension through 2029 gives him the runway to potentially climb into the top five in multiple categories.

More importantly, it gives him the chance to do something no Broncos receiver has done since the Super Bowl 50 season: win a championship in Denver.

“That’s what this is all about now,” Sutton said. “Not the money, not the accolades, not proving doubters wrong. It’s about bringing a championship back to this city, to these fans who’ve supported me through everything.”

As the Broncos prepare for their playoff journey, Sutton’s near-departure serves as a reminder of how fragile success can be — and how one conversation, one moment of genuine connection between coach and player, can change everything.

“If Coach Payton doesn’t have that conversation with me, I’m not here,” Sutton admitted. “And this team, this season, this moment — none of it happens. I’ll be grateful for that conversation for the rest of my life.”

For Broncos Country, so will they.

Courtland Sutton 2025 Stats (Through 16 Games):

• Receptions: 78
• Receiving Yards: 1,129
• Touchdowns: 9
• Targets: 124
• Yards per Reception: 14.5

Denver Broncos: 13-3, AFC West Champions, No. 1 seed in AFC (pending Week 18 results)