OT Sean Payton "stepping away"

[SHOWTIME15]

Sean Payton nearly became Cowboys coach in 2019; could it happen now?

With Sean Payton stepping down as head coach of the Saints after 16 years on the job, his next move will become an issue of major intrigue and curiosity.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

The year was 2019. The month, January. The Cowboys had won 10 of 16 games, along with a wild-card contest against the Seahawks. They lost to the Rams in the divisional round, 30-22. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones contemplated an upgrade from coach Jason Garrett to Sean Payton. Jones wanted to pull the trigger. Payton did, too.

Things unfolded quickly. The Saints had played in the NFC Championship, losing to the Rams on January 20. That week, Jones quietly made his move.

It was a delicate situation, for various reasons. First, the Cowboys had a coach. Jones wouldn’t have fired Garrett unless he knew he could have gotten Payton. Second, league rules (specifically, the Rooney Rule) require a diverse and inclusive search. Third, Jones had to ultimately know that, after going through the motions of a search, he’d be able to get Payton.

So a deal was worked out, behind the scenes. The Saints would have allowed the Cowboys to hire Payton. The Cowboys would have compensated the Saints for the rights to Payton’s contract. And Payton would have signed a new contract with the Cowboys.

It was ready to go. It was happening. It was locked, and it was loaded. Then came Monday, January 28. On that day, New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis announced he would not sign another contract with the team, and he requested a trade. (In July, the Pelicans traded him to the Lakers.)

Gayle Benson owns both the Pelicans and the Saints. Saints G.M. Mickey Loomis was, as of January 2019, the executive vice president of basketball operations with the Pelicans. Once Davis made clear his intention to leave New Orleans, Loomis told Payton that Loomis couldn’t be the common thread between a pair of such high-profile Louisiana departures.

That ended it, just like that. The Saints were no longer interested in essentially trading Payton to the Cowboys. In September, Payton signed a new contract. That deal has three years left on it.

 

[Sciz]

Demario Davis. Still played at a high level at age 32 last season (2nd team All Pro), and I'd rather pay his $7.5M next season than do something longer term with somebody from a rough free agent class. Of course, this is also all dependent on a move toward more versatile linebackers than the thumper/blitzer style of recent Patriots defenses.

 

[Sicilian]

Belichick post-Brady (2020-2021)
17-17 Record (.500)
1 Playoff appearance (Wild Card)
0 Playoff wins

Payton post-Brees (2020-2021)
22-13 record (.628)
1 Playoff appearance (Division Title)
1 Playoff win

Seems like a weird reason to turn this into a Bill vs Payton thing.

Brees played for them last year.

 

[farn]

Brees was a much much less douchy AR. Loved him some passing stats and prohibitive contracts. They were always faltering in epic fashion, just like GB, whenever the playoffs rolled around. Often times, you could’ve argued the role players they had to plug into key spots because $ was tied up in the stars was the undoing.

Payton is a good, not great coach. Had his teams ready, they often made the playoffs and were a threat during much of his tenure.

Maybe teams like NO are so ridiculously linked to the city that loves them, that it makes sense to choose loyalty and fandom over winning. I, for one, am glad BB is at the helm of the team I cheer for. Cutthroat. Winning is the only thing.

 

[carmelo15]

Belichick post-Brady (2020-2021)
17-17 Record (.500)
1 Playoff appearance (Wild Card)
0 Playoff wins

Payton post-Brees (2020-2021)
22-13 record (.628)
1 Playoff appearance (Division Title)
1 Playoff win

Seems like a weird reason to turn this into a Bill vs Payton thing.

Its hilarious sorry ass ariens has a ring cause of Brady Payton would have 3-4 with brady

 

[Patsgofor4]

How about this scenario…Payton spends the next two years as an analyst for some Network then decides he is ready to start coaching again. At the same time, Bill decides that he wants to retire, so Kraft trades for his rights (gives the Saints a first round pick) and gives him a big contract to become head coach of the patriots.

Remember, Payton tried hard to trade up to pick Jones in the first round this year but wasn’t able to get high enough. Boom!

(One problem with this scenario is that Bill needs if you continue to coach at least three more seasons, if he wants to overtake Shula for most all-time wins.)

 

[Deus Irae]

Mike McCarthy is on notice.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Interesting points.

Here's Sportrac's report of the top 10 2021 dead cap list. DET took the hit from trading Stafford, PHL traded Wentz. In some way NO doesn't look that bad, lol!

View attachment 40375

The problem is they have that dead cap number and are carrying so many expensive veterans, and don’t have a QB. They’re going to be stuck like this for quite some time.

 

[VrabelJr]

Demario Davis. Still played at a high level at age 32 last season (2nd team All Pro), and I'd rather pay his $7.5M next season than do something longer term with somebody from a rough free agent class. Of course, this is also all dependent on a move toward more versatile linebackers than the thumper/blitzer style of recent Patriots defenses.

We could do much, much worse than having Davis at the middle of our defense.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

An excellent coach, one of the 3 longest tenured. Coaching is a grind.

Does Flores have a chance in New Orleans now ?

 

[carmelo15]

Y’all really think he’d come to New England over dallas haha hilarious

 

[skinnydog]

If I recall correctly New Orleans was in a very bad cap situation at the time, which would have made that hypothetical - taking a cap hit by moving on from Brees while also signing Brady and trading for Gronk and his contract - impossible.

If I recall correctly New Orleans was in a very bad cap situation at the time, which would have made that hypothetical - taking a cap hit by moving on from Brees while also signing Brady and trading for Gronk and his contract - impossible.

Aren’t the Saints something like 75 million over the projected 2022 cap?

 

[captain stone]

There is no way that J Jones would step back and let any coach run the entire show.

Yeah I don't know why folks would think that Payton would have More power in Dallas than he had in NO.

 

[Wozzy]

The Saints borrowed from future cap to give themselves a shot at winning a ring at the end of Brees run, it didn't work and now they're in cap hell. They''re paying a 22.6 million dollar dead cap hit for Brees, split up between this year and next. They're dead last in cap space with a massive number. Payton's getting out at a great time. There's going to be a fire sale there with the new guy coming in.

 

[skinnydog]

The Saints borrowed from future cap to give themselves a shot at winning a ring at the end of Brees run, it didn't work and now they're in cap hell. They''re paying a 22.6 million dollar dead cap hit for Brees, split up between this year and next. They're dead last in cap space with a massive number. Payton's getting out at a great time. There's going to be a fire sale there with the new guy coming in.

Looks like Payton didn't want to be the one doing the fire sale.

 

[Wozzy]

Looks like Payton didn't want to be the one doing the fire sale.

For sure... BB had to play with a skeleton crew in 2020 to clear cap space and train a bunch of kids. It's a commitment.

It would be a lot easier for Payton to step back and wait for a great situation to open up... it will be a lot easier on his winning percentage numbers that way.

 

[Hyped]

Interesting timing. He had 3 years left on a 5 year deal. Maybe he is burnt out and needed some time or maybe he didn't want to deal with an iffy QB situation

Or maybe he was upset with Kevin James being cast in that movie...

Great coach...and that on sides kick call coming out of halftime of Superbowl ILIV...oh man...

 

[PP2]

Lot's of if's and maybes. I'll give you that Payton is an upgrade over McCarthy, but let's not delude ourselves to thinking he's the second coming of Bill Walsh or some chit. Dallas' biggest problem is sitting in the owner box, anyway. That's not about to change.

Any coach going to Dallas will have to pick a big fight with Jerruh, or spend a lot of time and energy pushing back against a guy who thinks he knows all about gloryholes.

 

[Triumph]

Suspicious timing.

Jerry Jones said that he was going to address the Cowboys coaching sooner than later. New Orleans is a sinking ship and Dallas needs very little in terms of players. Jerry is all in on Dak.

 

[jah]

Y’all really think he’d come to New England over dallas haha hilarious

Who is actually saying this?