Aside from one year lost to suspension due to Bountygate, Sean Payton has been an NFL head coach for each of the past 15 seasons before stepping away last offseason. While he’s since worked on the media trail as an NFL analyst for FOX Sports, there continues to be strong speculation that the 2009 Super Bowl winner is ready to pick up a headset and return to the sidelines.
That could even happen as soon as this offseason for the 58-year-old California native.
But it’s not as simple as Payton hitting the interview road, as he’s still technically under contract with the New Orleans Saints, whom he coached from 2006-2021. While the Saints surely have a great amount of respect for their former coach, they’re still operating a business, and they’re not just going to allow who they feel is a great coach to simply walk free while they receive no compensation in return.
Instead, the Saints are likely to ask for a bounty, which could begin with multiple first-round picks as the entry asking price. Especially considering they’ve already matched their 2021 loss total with five games left to play in 2022.
Dennis Allen, as good of a defensive coordinator as he may be, hasn’t been able to snap into the same success Payton enjoyed for the better parts of two decades. Maybe Payton saw this coming, with the Saints entering the season in salary cap hell, before managing to secure several veterans that were supposed to help the team win now.
It hasn’t worked, obviously, but their immediate failure also makes Payton look better in that their suffering didn’t happen under his watch.
Needless to say, if Payton wants to scratch his itch of wanting to coach again after this season wraps up, he’s likely to receive interest from several NFL franchises.
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Sean Payton’s next NFL team will come down to fit
While Payton’s return is sure to have multiple NFL teams willing to throw the bag at him, where he’s likely to earn a ridiculous salary, some organizations may not interest the former Saints coach.
Payton won’t leave his cushy TV gig for just any job. He’s likely to want to return to the ideal situation, where he either already has a strong rapport built with members of the front office or ownership group. He also wants to join a strong foundation.
In other words, Payton won’t be joining the Detroit Lions or Washington Commanders, who are commonly seen as laughingstocks when it comes to how an organization is run.
For now, there are only two known vacancies, with Carolina and Indianapolis as the two teams who have already fired their head coach. We’re likely to see several more head coaching jobs open up over the next few weeks.
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Dallas Cowboys always lurking for Payton
Some teams to keep in mind include Arizona, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Houston, and Los Angeles (either one). While Dallas may currently appear to be a strong contender, Jerry Jones also has high expectations for a roster ready to win on both sides of the ball.
Plus, the previous ties to Payton, who spent three seasons with the Cowboys from 2003-05 as the team’s assistant head coach and QB coach, could have Jones pining for Payton instead of McCarthy.
The Rams are an interesting fit, should Sean McVay decide to hang up his headset. They already have a strong core of talent in place, are located in Payton’s home state, and have never hesitated to swing for the fences.
Yet, if the Saints are seeking multiple first-round picks, the Rams won’t have much to offer as their 2023 selection is owed to Detroit.
But some NFL minds think a few of these teams can be ruled out from the start.
Sure, Carolina, Denver, and Houston could likely all meet Payton’s salary demands, but aside from the Broncos, who’s their QB? According to Mike Sando of The Athletic, one NFL exec suggested Payton wants to steer clear of the Wilson situation brewing in Denver.
“I have heard Sean Payton doesn’t want anything to do with that, but it could be a short list of teams willing to meet all the conditions.”
Anonymous NFL exec speculates Sean Payton doesn’t care for Denver Broncos
Still, if places like Denver and Los Angeles become options, the opportunity for a quick turnaround for Payton taking over a team expected to compete for a Super Bowl could be far too intriguing to pass up.
We’re still likely months away from hearing if and where Payton may commit to, but it’s never too early to begin the speculation. As teams separate themselves from the pack of pretenders and contenders, it will be hard not to envision Payton coaching elsewhere come 2023.
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