Sean Payton Is Coy About Destination for Possible NFL Return

The former Saints coach will work as an NFL analyst for Fox in the 2022 season.

Sean Payton isn’t fully shutting the door to the possibility of returning to the NFL as a head coach.

The 58-year-old retired in January after spending 15 seasons with the Saints. His next gig remains in the NFL world, but this time in the broadcast booth as a Fox analyst. 

A recent Miami Herald report stated that Payton was eyeing the Cowboys, Chargers and Panthers as potential landing spots. USA Today Sports asked the former coach about this rumor, and he once again noted that the door isn’t closed.

“Ultimately, do I think I’ll get back in? Sure,” Payton said. “There’s no way to predict who that club might be. Usually, there are about six openings every year. If there’s a right fit somewhere, that ultimately will depend on several factors.”

Before this recent report, various rumors circulated connecting Payton to a few different teams in the NFL. 

One rumor stated that the Dolphins tried to recruit Tom Brady and Payton to come out of retirement when the quarterback briefly retired in February. Nothing came out of that, though.

Then, there was speculation that Payton would replace Mike McCarthy as head coach of the Cowboys. The current coach shut down those rumors quickly.

Payton was even discussed to potentially take over the Panthers. Carolina owner David Tepper reportedly told current head coach Matt Rhule not to worry about the rumors, though.

Regardless, it doesn’t sound like Payton will become a head coach for the 2022 season, but after that, he could return to the field if the opportunity presents itself.

“We’ll deal with it when the time comes,” Payton said.