Sean Payton 1-on-1: On Coaching Cowboys & 'I Feel Like Forrest Gump'

"I worked for the Cowboys for three years, got very close with the Jones family and my experience was outstanding,'' Payton tells us.

The Dallas Cowboys have made their commitment to coach Mike McCarthy. And Sean Payton has made his commitment to moving on from coaching, telling SI during Super Bowl Week that his tour of media outlets in search of a job in broadcasting gives him an odd feeling.

"I feel like Forrest Gump,'' he said.

What exactly does he mean? In our SI visit, he explains ... while also noting his fondness for so many things Cowboys - "I worked for the Cowboys for three years, got very close with the Jones family and my experience was outstanding,'' he said, adding, "I know Mike and they have a great staff.''

In the wake of his team's gut-wrenching, mistake-riddled Wild Card playoff loss, with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reacted by admitting, "I've got a lot to think about.''

It's been thought about. The news of Sean Payton leaving the New Orleans Saints commenced the connect-the-dots to Dallas' doorstep. Sure, McCarthy has three years left on his contract and just led the Cowboys to a 12-5 record, NFC East Championship and ...

Since 2006, Jerry has lamented Payton as the one that got away.

So what about it, coach Payton?

“That could be coaching again in the future,” he added of his eventual plan. "But, that’s not where my heart is at all right now.”

In 2003-05, Payton was the hotshot offensive mind diagramming plays and inventing ways to help the Cowboys and quarterbacks such as Quincy Carter and Drew Bledsoe win 10 games and make the playoffs. Head coach Bill Parcells got the big money and the bigger media attention, but Payton drew interest from around the league as a rising, innovative, offensive genius.

In 2005, Jones stiff-armed the Oakland Raiders’ flirtation with Payton by doubling his salary to $1 million and adding “assistant head coach” to his title. But in 2006, the Saints knocked even harder at Payton’s door and Jones was forced to make a difficult decision: Stick with his 64-year-old, future Hall-of-Fame coach, or fire Parcells and promote Payton.

Hindsight assures us that Jones made the catastrophic wrong move.

Maybe someday, the Jones family tries again. But, no, Sean Payton is not coming to Dallas at this time.

"My focus has shifted to working in media,'' Payton told SI. "Right now I want to try something different.''