The NFL’s head coach carousel is in full swing, and the most in-demand candidate is former Saint New Orleans Current head coach and FOX Sports NFL analyst Sean Payton, who will be interviewing multiple teams this week.
Payton, who is said to have interviewed with Houston Texas on Monday, confirmed in an appearance on “herd” that he was about to interview with Dancer broncos and Carolina Newspaper in the coming days. The Arizona Cardinals also asked permission from the saints to interview him, according to FOX Sports NFL insider Peter Schrager.
Payton, 59, who resigned from the Saints after the 2021 season, was not allowed to formally interview for head coach jobs until Tuesday because he still has a contract with New Orleans. He was first contacted by Broncos.
[2023 NFL coaching tracker: News, rumors, interviews]
Hiring Payton also asked to trade for him – something the Super Bowl-winning coach addressed Monday with the presenter Colin the cow.
“[Saints general manager] Mickey Loomis and I talked about that,” Payton said. “I think in the end the reward for the Saints will be a pick in the middle or later in the first round.
“We can achieve that in many different ways. … Each team has different pick options and maybe that is one in the future. I know Mickey well and I heard him say it the other day and he was right, and I think so am I. He’s got a job to do and he’ll get his fair share.”
Sean Payton addresses head coach vacancies and options
Sean Payton joins Colin Cowherd to tackle the NFL’s current head coach positions and the process as he begins interviews with various teams.
Here’s a quick look at the 2023 first round of draft funding for interested groups:
- Arizona Cardinals: 3rd overall
- Carolina Panthers: Final No. 9
- Denver Broncos: No. 29 final prediction
- Houston Texans: No. 2 and 12 in the end
Cowherd asked Payton how a team’s standing in quarterback affects Payton’s assessment of that franchise, taking the Texans – who have struggled to get consistent midfield play throughout the 2022 season – as an example.
The Texans finished the 2022 season with a 3-13-1 record and sat in the key position to pick QB with one of their two early picks in the first round.
“We practiced against the Texans [in training camp] when I was in New Orleans about four or five different times, so [Texans owner] Cal McNair, his late father, we will meet them. So I don’t know them well, but I do know them,” Payton said. “When you practice for three days with an opponent, you have the opportunity to meet a lot of different personalities and participants. into the building.
“They’ve got really good draft capital. They’re in a [weak] assignment. So I think there’s potential for immediate growth from the three wins they have this year.”
Sean Payton on what NFL teams need to do to make him their head coach
On “FOX NFL Kickoff,” Sean Payton talked about recent requests from teams around the NFL to choose him as their next head coach.
When Cowherd suggests that possession and quarterback are the two most important things to consider for head coach candidates when evaluating a franchise, Payton agrees but makes it clear that the first is factor much bigger in his mind.
“I think that factor is very important – the element of ownership,” Payton said. “I’ve said this and I hope it’s not taken as an indictment against certain teams – it’s hard to win this tournament and certainly harder to win this tournament if have internal problems before you meet your opponent.”
As a result, Payton reiterated the possibility that he could wait until next season to take the head coach job. He went 152-89 in the regular season and won 9-8 in a 15-season knockout against New Orleans, including a Super Bowl XLIV win and seven NFC South titles. His 0.631 win rate ranks seventh of all time among NFL coaches with at least 150 wins.
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