Broncos' Payton shrugs off postgame exchange with 'frustrated' Horn

Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn was visibly frustrated at Broncos head coach Sean Payton on Sunday following Denver's 28-14 win over Carolina.

Cameras showed Horn confronting Payton on the field postgame and seemingly questioning why the Broncos' sideline boss tried to "run the score up" with Denver up by multiple possessions late in the game.

Payton said Horn was frustrated after the game.

"I coached his father. So I was yelling back at him," Payton explained. "I don't know what the exchange was, but his father I enjoyed coaching. I enjoyed him. He was frustrated. I think he was yelling at one of our other players. I like him. I think he's a good player."

Denver opened a 28-7 lead, yet they opted to go for it on a fourth-and-2 from Carolina's 43-yard line with 4:29 left in the fourth quarter, calling a tricky play that featured wide receiver Courtland Sutton completing a pass to fullback Michael Burton for the first down.

The Broncos then carried the ball twice before putting quarterback Bo Nix in shotgun formation on a third-and-4 play from Carolina's 9-yard line with 2:13 left. Nix converted the first down by completing a pass to Sutton, but the wideout lost a fumble at the end of the play. Payton's outfit attempted four passes in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter while winning by three possessions.

After recovering the fumble at their own 2-yard line, Bryce Young and the Panthers marched down the field and still managed to score a touchdown in the final seconds to cut the Broncos' lead.

Denver moved to 5-3 with the victory and dropped Carolina to 1-7 this season. Horn didn't speak to the media after the contest.