Broncos head coach Sean Payton is considered one of the top offensive minds in the NFL today, even after all these years. So if you’re a coach and you’re given a strong recommendation from Payton, you’re doing something right and your new team should be very excited.

That’s the case for new Lions offensive coordinator John Morton, who served as Payton’s pass game coordinator last season in Denver. Payton praised Morton when asked about him during his media time this week at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

“He’s super passionate,” Payton said of Morton. “He works his tail off. He’s great with film study and ideas. He’s one of those guys that will bring you red zone, third down and a lot of information. We were together in New Orleans several times and then it’s a chance where he will be calling the plays. I was just with Dan Campbell a few minutes ago—maybe an hour ago—and we were talking about him. He will do a great job.”

Morton had two separate stints with Payton in New Orleans. He was the pass game coordinator and offensive assistant in 2006, then later coached wide receivers in 2015 and 2016. This is Morton’s second time as an NFL offensive coordinator. He held the position with the New York Jets in 2017 under head coach Todd Bowles. He was also USC’s offensive coordinator in 2009 and 2010 under now-Raiders head coach Pete Carroll.

Morton is not a stranger to the Lions. He was a senior offensive assistant in 2022. He is now tasked with picking up where former offensive coordinator and now Bears head coach Ben Johnson left off last season.