Sean Payton isn’t interested in leaving the New Orleans Saints.
At least, that’s what he’s saying right now publicly.
“Well, I said this earlier in the season. … This is my ninth year coaching here in New Orleans, and it’s come up every, I’m going to say, two to three years. And I guess … listen, it comes with the territory,” Payton said, via Mike Triplett of ESPN. “This is where I call home. I just finished building a home here. I’m close enough to my son back in Dallas where I’m pretty much back there once a week or he’s over here; my daughter is off in college now.
“So, I see myself coaching this team long past this season.”
This is pretty much exactly what he said earlier this year when rumors he might leave the Saints for greener pastures were swirling. One such report had it “50-50” that Payton would be leaving the Saints because there are issues pending within ownership between Tom Benson and his daughter Renee.
It’s been a brutal season for the Saints, who enter the final two games of the campaign with a record of 5-9.
Nothing has gone right from the team’s decision to trade away Jimmy Graham to bringing record-breaking penalty-maker Brandon Browner aboard to starting the season with defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.
Quarterback Drew Brees has played at a high level, despite not having many consistent weapons in the offense. He’s completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 4,135 yards with 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Peyton thinks his quarterback can keep it going, too, despite his age (37 in January).
“His mechanics, his arm strength has been outstanding. Two weeks ago in Tampa Bay, he made a throw down the sideline and into the wind in Cover 2 that was unbelievable.”
It’s hard to know if either of these men will be back in 2016, given the rumors about Peyton and the fact that Brees has a cap hit of $30 million. But if the coach has his way, that’s the dream.
At least that’s what he’s telling us.
It will be interesting to see how things shake out this offseason. There will be a number of high-profile coaching gigs opening up in college and at the NFL level. The Saints have now struggled to win games two games in a row now (7-9 last year and 5-9 this season), and Brees doesn’t have many years left in his body.
Nobody should be shocked if Peyton changes his tune.