After taking a gap year to stoke rampant speculation as to where he might land upon his return to the NFL, Sean Payton is now the coach of the Broncos. Congratulations to him.
There will be plenty of takes—all accurate to some degree—about the meaning of this hire.
For one, it’s certainly refreshing to see a new owner with deep pockets spend lavishly on a coach. In a salary-capped league, this is where we see the difference between a committed owner and one who is simply content existing. New head coaching salaries declined a bit last year, according to industry sources, showing a league-wide interest in saving money at that position in particular. Payton, who makes about five times as much per season as the average first-time head coach, is anything but a bargain.
