Sean Payton is easily the best coach in New Orleans Saints history.
After all, he’s the only one who has a Vince Lombardi Trophy among all the coaches that worked in The Big Easy.
But the transformation the team underwent during this tenure was remarkable.
Before he took the reins in 2006, the Saints made the playoffs only six times, winning two out of eight games.
The Saints had nine postseason trips and won nine games during his time alone.
This sustained success earned him Coach of the Year honors during his first season with the team.
Drew Brees and Michael Thomas became Offensive Players of the Year.
Alvin Kamara and Marshon Lattimore also won Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2017.
Payton also led the Saints to ten seasons with double-digit victories.
Sadly, he took a sabbatical after the 2021 season, and his return to the sidelines is indefinite.
The 58-year-old mentor seems to be enjoying life away from the game, taking time to play golf.
The former quarterback was also quick to shut down rumors of a potential return.
Former Saints coach Sean Payton chatted with the media after his golf round, and before he was even asked a question, said he didn’t know anything about the Dolphins/Tom Brady reports. Said if he was interested in coaching in 2022 he would have stayed with Saints. https://t.co/0bEfJw8t4u
— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) April 19, 2022
ESPN NFL Nation reporter for the Saints Mike Triplett tweeted, “Former Saints coach Sean Payton chatted with the media after his golf round, and before he was even asked a question, said he didn’t know anything about the Dolphins/Tom Brady reports. Said if he was interested in coaching in 2022 he would have stayed with Saints.”
Payton Deserves A Break
The grind of an NFL head coach isn’t easy.
They work long hours and deal with several concerns.
Conflicts on the sidelines and in the locker room do not make their job any easier.
That was his life for 15 seasons, and he wanted to step away from it all.
It’s nice that the Saints promoted from the inside, making Dennis Allen their new head coach.
However, he will have big shoes to fill as Payton’s successor.
Aside from the glory he brought to the franchise, he helped a city regain hope during tough times.
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