A head coach in the NFC South will not be returning in 2022 and it’s not the one most Carolina Panthers fans are probably hoping for. Nonetheless, we’re sure they’ll take this just fine.
According to NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill—in news that would later be confirmed by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport—New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton will retire. Excluding the one season away due to a suspension stemming from the infamous “Bountygate” scandal, Payton has spent the last 15 years with the franchise.
The division foes, under Payton’s watch, have gone 18-13 against the Panthers—including a 31-26 playoff win in the 2017 Wild Card round. Payton’s overall run has seen the Saints chalk up a 152-89 record with seven NFC South titles and a Super Bowl XLIV win in the 2009 campaign.
Rapoport has also noted that the favorite to take over for New Orleans is the team’s current defensive coordinator in Dennis Allen. Allen does have prior head coaching experience, having led the then Oakland Raiders to a 8-28 mark between 2012 and 2014.
Payton’s departure is relatively good news for Carolina, at least from a competitive standpoint. But with so many problems that need addressing in their own house, the Panthers are still far away from potentially capturing a division that may be wide open next season.
