Early in the Denver Broncos’ upset win over the Philadelphia Eagles, tight end Evan Engram came off the field perhaps a bit frustrated. After all, it had been a tough day at the office, as the veteran tight end went into halftime with just one reception for negative yardage.
Apparently, Broncos head coach Sean Payton didn’t like Engram’s body language, and he let him know. A fiery exchange ensued on the Broncos’ sideline, but it may have been the impetus to Engram scoring his first touchdown in the Orange and Blue.
“It was pretty quick,” Engram told The Denver Gazette‘s Kyle Fredrickson post-game. “I guess he didn’t like my body language.”
Engram’s touchdown was the Broncos’ second score of the fourth quarter, and it presented Payton with a fateful decision: kick the extra point and tie the game at 17 with half of the period left, or go for two and the lead? Payton trusted his offense and opted for the latter.
The Broncos converted, as Bo Nix hit wide receiver Troy Franklin for two points on a nifty play that Payton had kept tucked up his sleeve. The Broncos would hold on to defeat the Eagles 21-17.
After the game, Payton addressed his sideline exchange with Engram.
“I got pissed at him and he was pissed at me. I just got after him a little just because I knew that he hadn’t gotten the touches,” Payton said. “And then it was like, ‘Alright, let’s find these throws real quick.'”
Payton perhaps realized that he wasn’t utilizing his new weapon nearly enough. Engram would finish the game with the second-most targets on the team, catching four for 33 yards and that touchdown.
The score, by the way, was no mean feat. Engram showed tremendous grit and want-to on a screen play designed to go to him, battling through two tackles and diving to break the plane.
.@eazyengram dives in‼️
📺: @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/h4BbCgrCKu
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) October 5, 2025
Whatever was said between coach and player, it obviously sparked something productive. Engram scored his first touchdown as a Bronco, and it came in the clutch when all the chips were down.
“He responded, and it was kind of a good thing,” Payton said of the sideline exchange. “He’s a great weapon. He made some big plays—obviously the touchdown. He’s not the primary guy to be in the quarterback’s face. He made some big plays for us.”
In case you were wondering, Engram harbors no hard feelings toward his head coach. Winning heals all wounds, and he likes being coached hard, even at 31 years old.
“I appreciate hard coaching. Honestly, I don’t like that any other way,” Engram said via Fredrickson. “I like to be pushed hard. Sean will definitely let you know. Whenever he’s upset, he’ll let you know, even when he’s excited and happy, too.”
Courtland Sutton once again led the Broncos with eight receptions on 10 targets for 99 yards. The veteran wideout didn’t find the end zone this week, but he made some huge plays late in the game, atoning for a dropped pass on the Broncos’ opening possession.
It’s no secret how clunky Engram’s start in Denver has been. He’s dealt with two injuries early (a calf and a back), which caused him to miss Week 3.
But over the past two games, you can see Payton’s resolve in trying to get his new ‘Joker’ weapon more involved in the game plan, even if it was slow going initially in Philly. If Engram was frustrated by his lack of impact, and it showed in his body language in-game, it’s understandable.
The words exchanged between Payton and Engram may have been just what the doctor ordered, though, because it helped spark a critical play in what was easily the signature win of the Payton era in Denver.
Nix has been aware that the ball hasn’t found Engram as much as the two-time Pro Bowler would prefer, but the second-year quarterback talked about the respect he has for his new tight end, and the satisfaction of finally seeing him get his.
“He adds a level of experience [and] competitive nature that not everybody in that situation has, especially not playing a whole lot, probably as much as he wanted to, but he never really complained, never wavered, just kind of figured out how he could be pieced in,” Nix said of Engram post-game. “Then, once his moment showed up today, he made a couple really huge catches on those drives and breaking a tackle to go score was big… So really good to see him get in the end zone.”
From the sounds of it, Engram is just getting started in this offense, much like the Broncos on the still-young 2025 campaign.
“Excited for what’s to come with him,” Nix said of Engram. “I know it’s just trying to build certain things and just put him in places to succeed. I think he showed today that he’s on the right track.”
