Joe Lombardi said Wednesday he was not surprised when Broncos head coach Sean Payton called him into his office Tuesday and fired him as offensive coordinator.

“Sean decided to move on, and I guess that’s all there is to say,’’ Lombardi told The Denver Gazette in a phone interview. “I don’t think it’s ever a surprise (in the NFL). Not really. … I think you could tell he (Payton) was in one of those moods where he felt like some changes needed to be made and I guess he decided one of those was me. So I’ve been around him long enough to kind of read the tea leaves, I guess.”

Lombardi, 54, had served as offensive coordinator since Payton was hired by the Broncos in 2023. He previously spent 11 years with him as a New Orleans Saints assistant.

The Broncos lost 10-7 on Sunday to New England in the AFC Championship Game with backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham replacing the injured Bo Nix. With Payton calling the plays, the Broncos failed to convert on a key fourth down in the second quarter. They had just 181 yards of total offense in a game that was played in bad weather in the second half, which included the field covered with snow in the fourth quarter.

While some have suggested Lombardi was being used by Payton as a scapegoat, he does not believe that was the case.

“Well, we made it to the AFC Championship,’’ Lombardi said. “I don’t know why there needs to be a scapegoat, so I’m not sure what I’m being scapegoated for. I thought it was a good season. So, no, I didn’t feel like that in any way. I just think (Payton) just wanted to go in another direction.”

Former NFL coach and offensive coordinator Jay Gruden wrote on social media Tuesday about Lombardi’s firing. He touched upon Payton’s decision to go for it on fourth-and-1 at Patriots 14 in the second quarter with the Broncos up 7-0. Stidham threw an incompletion, and Payton has said he regretted the play call.

Damn. Joe Lombardi got fired . OC at Broncos. Tough business. Lost in AFC championships with back up qb. Guess he made the call on 4th-2 not to kick field goal. Got a tee time at noon tomorrow joe. Give me a call.

— Jay Gruden (@Coach_JayGruden) January 28, 2026

“Damn,’’ Gruden wrote in part. “Joe Lombardi got fired. OC at Broncos. Tough business. Lost in AFC championships with backup QB. Guess he made the call on 4th-2 not to kick field goal.”

Lombardi, who had not seen the post, was read what Gruden wrote.

“It’s probably a lot of reasons that people make these decisions,’’ Lombardi said in response. “So, you know, it is what it is.”

Later Wednesday, Gruden spoke to The Denver Gazette by phone. Gruden, now an analyst for “The Arena: Gridiron,’’ was Washington’s head coach from 2014-19 and served as an NFL offensive coordinator for four seasons.

“I hate the scapegoat part,” Gruden said of Lombardi’s firing. “Denver had a heck of a year. They overachieved and it came down to a backup quarterback in Jarrett Stidham and a (fourth-and-1) call that should have been a field goal. … It sure seems like scapegoat to me from the outside looking in, although there could be some other things going on that we don’t know about.

“But it looks bad to me because Sean is the one with the play sheet. He’s the one putting the plays together and putting the game plan together. … I don’t think any coach should be fired when they go to the AFC Championship Game with a backup quarterback and they lose by three points based on a decision that the (head) coach made. That’s what bothers me.”

Lombardi had spent a total of 14 seasons with Payton. He was with him as an offensive assistant for 11 of Payton’s 15 seasons with the Saints between 2006-21. Lombardi was asked if his firing hampers his future relationship with Payton.

“I think it’s part of the business,’’ he said. “I mean, he employed me for a long time. I’m appreciative of that.”

Asked about future job opportunities, Lombardi said it’s a “little early” now in the process

“We’ll figure it out as it goes along,” he said.