Broncos sign GM George Paton to 5-year extension through 2030 season months after run to AFC championship

Denver Broncos general manager George Paton won’t begin the 2026 season on the final year of his contract. The franchise announced Friday that Paton has inked a five-year extension through the 2030 season.

His new deal arrives months after the Broncos made their first AFC championship appearance since they won the Super Bowl during the 2015 season. His extension also follows reported speculation that the Minnesota Vikings were pursuing him in their GM search. Before taking over for longtime top executive and franchise icon John Elway in Denver, Paton spent 14 seasons in Minnesota, rising through the Vikings’ player personnel ranks from 2007-20.

“We are pleased to announce a new five-year contract for George Paton that reflects our confidence in his leadership, vision and the overall direction of our team,” Broncos owner and CEO Greg Penner said in a statement Friday. “As our general manager, George has demonstrated a strong commitment toward building a winning roster while forming a collaborative and supportive partnership with Sean Payton.

“I’ve enjoyed working with George over the last four seasons and appreciate the alignment we share in positioning the Broncos for sustained success.”

Paton has recovered from an infamous 2022, in which he traded for then-Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and hired Nathaniel Hackett as Denver’s head coach. Wilson was given a gaudy extension that ultimately resulted in a record $85 million worth of dead money when the veteran signal-caller was released in 2024.

Hackett lasted only 15 regular-season games before he was fired.

Meanwhile, that year was the first of Penner’s Broncos ownership. Despite the catastrophe on display, Penner remained patient with Paton, and Paton capitalized on the opportunity to bounce back. He hired future Pro Football Hall of Famer Sean Payton, who worked with Paton to give Denver’s roster a makeover.

Ahead of the 2024 draft, Payton hand-picked Bo Nix as the future of the Broncos. The former Auburn and Oregon quarterback just led Denver to a franchise-record-tying 14 wins and the doorstep of the Super Bowl in his second season under center.

Paton’s draft track record in Denver is impressive. He hit the ground running in that department, selecting Pat Surtain II three years before the cornerback won NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Five of Paton’s draft picks since 2021 have signed second contracts with the Broncos, according to The Athletic.

His first draft class also included right guard Quinn Meinerz and outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper. The following year, Paton scooped up Nik Bonitto in the second round. Bonitto, a standout outside linebacker, was fourth in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting last season after clocking out with 14 sacks.

Denver has also made some key free-agent signings while constructing a championship-caliber roster, namely a three-year deal in 2023 that brought defensive lineman Zach Allen to the Broncos. Since, Allen has become one of the better interior D-Linemen in the NFL, and Denver rewarded him as such with a lucrative extension in 2025.

The Broncos are hoping to once again contend for an AFC title in 2026. Before embarking on that campaign, they locked in Paton through the rest of the decade.