​The Denver Broncos have enough to fix after their opening-night loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, the Broncos head coach, Sean Payton, has given everyone another reason to pay attention to what is happening on the sideline.Payton revealed that he is dealing with an L4-L5 disc issue in his back, the same problem that made standing for long stretches uncomfortable during the opener. He also mentioned a separate toe issue, however, the bigger relief for the Broncos is that he will not need surgery on his back.Sean Payton Gives Update on L4-L5 Disc Issue and Toe ProblemFeb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesPayton’s back issue had already been noticeable during Denver’s loss to Kansas City. Cameras repeatedly caught the head coach bent forward, seemingly trying to find a more comfortable position while the game continued.The coach explained that the problem is not new. He has dealt with an L4-L5 disc issue before and previously underwent a small procedure for it. This summer, though, the problem flared up again.“It can get aggravated when you’re standing 3 to 4 hours”Sean Payton will not need surgery on his back. He’s mentioned he has an L4-L5 disc issue. It flared up this summer. He had a little procedure for it in the past.”It can get aggravated when you’re standing 3 to 4 hours”Payton also added he has a “toe issue.”— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevens) September 21, 2026 That is a pretty specific problem for an NFL head coach. Payton spends much of a game on his feet, moving around the sideline and communicating with his staff and players; however, the opener against the Chiefs lasted long enough for the issue to become visible.The important part of Thursday’s update was that surgery will not be necessary. Payton is instead managing the problem after the flare-up. He also added another detail that had not been part of the original discussion around his posture.Payton did not provide more information about the toe problem in the material released from his media availability, so its impact on his ability to coach should not be overstated.A health update comes following a tough start to the season for the Broncos. The team suffered a 31-10 defeat to the Chiefs, with the offense failing to score after the team’s sole touchdown early in the game. The Broncos ended up recording only 176 total yards and nine first downs. Payton also took the blame for the poor showing of his side, explaining that the Broncos didn’t play according to their standards.This means that the Broncos head coach is having to deal with two different matters before the next game: getting his side back to winning ways and handling the back problems, which tend to become increasingly bothersome when he is standing up.A fast response is required from the Broncos in their Week 2 encounter against the Jacksonville Jaguars, with the 62-y