Credit: Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports
Sean Payton may be bringing his wealth of knowledge on the game of football to the broadcast studio for Fox on Sundays.
In January, Payton ended his 15-year run with the New Orleans Saints. He will go down as the greatest coach in franchise history after amazing a 152-89 record and bringing Louisiana its first and only Lombardi trophy in 2010.
When Payton made the move that many insiders had expected, reports were that the 58-year-old wasn’t looking to retire and enjoy the rest of his days surrounded by family, friends, and golf courses. His time away would be short and he’d eventually jump back into the NFL coaching grind within the next year or so. That doesn’t mean he can’t stay busy.
Soon after he stepped away from the Saints, Payton made it known he desired a job in the television game. And it seems that Fox is interested in his services. New York Post NFL inside Andrew Marchand reported on Friday that the home for NFC regular season and playoffs games is in discussions with the Super- Bowl-winning coach to bring him into the fold.
After ESPN pulled Troy Aikman away from the Fox booth with a multi-year deal worth $90 million, there is a major opening for the role of Joe Buck’s broadcast partner on the network’s premier games each week. However, the report from Marchand claims that Payton is unlikely to land that particular gig.
Instead, he could be placed in the broadcast studio with the NFL Hall-of-Famers and analysts Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long. With the belief Payton may not stay out of the league for too long, Fox can’t fill a prime position next to Buck with a temporary fix.
Aikman leaving Fox for ESPN was a move that shook up the NFL coverage industry. Plus, Amazon is now a major player in the pro football broadcast game with plans to air Thursday night matchups. Their negotiations with broadcast legend Al Michaels and this year’s Super Bowl-winning coach Sean McVay could be the next major shoes to drop in this niche but frenzied side of NFL free agency.