The Denver Broncos are planning to build a new stadium with a retractable roof to open in 2031, according to a report from Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, and having that option would have changed everything this year.
Broncos owner Greg Penner spoke out about this possibility in the wake of Denver’s 10-7 loss to the New England Patriots in last Sunday’s AFC Championship game, and he danced around the impact the roof might have had on a game in which snow and wind made offensive football nearly impossible in the second half.
“We’re evaluating retractable roof options,” Penner said. “In this case, you all saw the weather this year, it was fantastic until the last game. In this case, we would’ve likely closed it ahead of time, given both the temperature and the potential precipitation. That being said, who knows if that would’ve had any outcome on the game.”
This is nonsense, and Penner knows it. It’s what he has to say, though, given how badly coach Sean Payton underestimated how much the arrival of the snow changed the second half of Sunday’s loss.
Payton hasn’t owned up to the mistakes he made in this matter, and at this point it’s not likely he ever will. If he’d chosen to kick a short field goal in the second quarter with the weather conditions deteriorating, Denver would have had a 10-0 lead, and it might have been the Patriots facing the onerous task of scoring in the second half.
Instead, Payton chose to go off on his coaching staff, firing offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, receivers coach Keary Colbert and cornerbacks coach Addison Lynch. He also got himself in trouble for revealing details about quarterback Bo Nix’s medical situation after Nix broke his ankle that have since been walked back by both Nix and Penner.
As Smith points out, a retractable roof would change the nature of January football in Denver. Teams would still have to deal with the cold, but snow and wind would become something close to a non-issue. Payton won’t be around for that change, but he is now under huge pressure to deliver a title having gotten so close this year. The Broncos flew under the radar as Super Bowl contenders this year, but in 2026 they’ll be front and center favorites to at least win the division.
For those who think the retractable roof stadium can’t happen, think again. The Kansas City Chiefs fan base thought the Chiefs would always be playing at Arrowhead, even though the stadium was antiquated by modern standings, but now the Chiefs are on an analogous timeline to get a new building.