Sean Payton, former New Orleans Saints coach, strongly hints at next job

Sean Payton, who stepped down from coaching the New Orleans Saints after this past season, has long been expected to move into a role in television.

Payton told reporters on Tuesday at the Zurich Classic Celebrity Shootout golf tournament that a job in the media was materializing. Payton didn’t want to speak in front of his presumptive employer, but he referred to it being a studio job.

Payton coached the Saints to a 152-89 regular-season record and 9 playoff appearances in 15 seasons, including leading the 2009 Saints to winning the NFL title.

Former saints coach Sean Payton said he’s joining the media this year. When asked if a job was materializing he said, “I think so, I just don’t want to be the one that puts my foot in my mouth before the company does. But it is. Soon. Probably a studio job.”

— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) April 19, 2022

“I don’t like the word retirement,” Payton said the day he announced he would step down, per the Associated Press. “I still have a vision for doing things in football. And I’ll be honest with you, that might be coaching again at some point. I don’t think it’s this year, I think maybe in the future. That’s not where my heart is right now.”

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.