It was a bit of a surprise when Sean Payton, who had been the Saints’ head coach since 2006 with both success and controversy, stepped away from coaching. Payton had made noises in that direction right after the Saints’ 2021 season ended with a 9-8 record, and all kinds of quarterback issues in the post-Drew Brees world.
“This stretch has been, I don’t want to say exhausting, but it’s been one of those where you just get on to the [next task]. Nothing surprises you,” Payton said then. “When you go all the way back to the start of the season, it feels like 2½ years ago we were evacuating to Dallas during the hurricane. I mean, it doesn’t feel like that’s part of this season.
“I’m trying to think of a good way to describe it. Like, there’s a certain bar or temperament for news that you normally have. And then when it keeps coming and coming and coming via text or in meetings, then pretty soon that bar gets raised because you just keep getting hitting in the side of the head. And at some point you’ve got to smile and then bow up a little bit and get ready for the challenge still.”
In this video, Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar and Mark Schofield discuss Payton’s next move — does he go to another team (like the Cowboys) that would have to buy out his contract, which goes through 2024, or does he step into a booth to try and become the next Tony Romo?
