Welcome back, Sean Payton. The New Orleans Saints’ former coach will return to the Caesars Superdome for a Thursday Night Football game in Week 7, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, with kickoff against Payton’s Denver Broncos scheduled for Oct. 17.
It’s going to be at least a little awkward to see Payton on the opposing sideline. The winningest coach in Saints history hasn’t found as much success since he joined the Broncos. Payton finished with an 8-9 record in 2023, jettisoned quarterback Russell Wilson, and drafted rookie passer Bo Nix in hopes of living up to the expectations he brought to Denver.
This is going to be a big game. If Dennis Allen can outfox his former boss and take advantage of an inexperienced quarterback, stealing a win at midseason would do a lot to help his standing among Saints fans. A loss would be a little embarrassing, sure, but it’s not like it would tell us anything we don’t already know. There are fans bringing signs to Saints games asking for Payton to come back and replace Allen for good reason.
But Payton isn’t the only former member of the Saints in Denver. Former players like Pro Bowl kicker Wil Lutz, wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey, fullback Michael Burton, guard Calvin Throckmorton, tight ends Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull, and defensive tackles Malcolm Roach and Jordan Jackson are on the Broncos. So are former Saints coaches including Pete Carmichael Jr., Joe Vitt, Michael Wilhoite, Joe Lombardi, Declan Doyle, Logan Kilgore, John Morton, and Zach Strief, among others. So there will be plenty of familiar faces lining the far side of the field on Thursday night.
