It’s only a matter of time until Sean Payton returns to the NFL head coaching life. The only questions are when, and which team will hire him.
Payton, who coached the New Orleans Saints for 16 seasons from 2006 to 2021, stepped away from the organization last year. As previously noted, Payton explained on Tom Brady’s “Let’s Go!” podcast that he will eventually return to coaching.
During the latest edition of “NFL GameDay”, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Payton has interest in coaching both the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers. Rapoport noted that Payton lives in Los Angeles, so his preference is to coach one of the two teams in La La Land.
But there’s something also interesting that should have Saints fans excited: Payton’s former team could also be a landing spot for the future Hall of Famer. Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com reported the following on Sunday:
“One person close to Payton and familiar with his thinking believes a return to the Saints is possible “if things go sideways” in New Orleans. He went so far as to rank the Saints No. 1 on the list of teams Payton might coach in 2023 if he elects to return to coaching.”
Rapoport brought up Duncan’s report, noting that it’s “improbable” that Payton ends up coming back to New Orleans. Either way, this is something to monitor closely, especially if you’re a Saints fan hoping for the greatest coach in franchise history to return.
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The defending Super Bowl champion Rams have endured a tough season, but they most certainly wouldn’t fire Sean McVay after a one year. But there have been rumblings about McVay potentially walking away from coaching for an NFL broadcasting/analyst gig. If he leaves, Payton may get the opportunity to join the Rams.
The Chargers are 7-6 and in playoff contention. But if they endure a late-season meltdown and miss the playoffs, they could decide to move on from head coach Brandon Staley. Wasting another year of Justin Herbert’s prime would be highly disappointing and, for the most part, inexcusable.
At any rate, the Sean Payton sweepstakes will be something exciting to follow in the coming weeks. There certainly won’t be a lack of interest in his services.
