Sean Payton no longer is the head coach of the New Orleans Saints, informing the team he would be stepping away from his position Tuesday, and it’s caused many to speculate how that development could impact the Dallas Cowboys.
Payton, who spent the last 15 seasons in New Orleans, didn’t close the book on his NFL coaching career. Essentially, it sounds more like a departure from his current role rather than a retirement from football.
“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,” Payton said Tuesday, via NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero. “But that’s not where my heart is right now.”
Payton, a one-time Super Bowl winner and great offensive mind, is only 58 years old. If he wants to return to the sideline, he’ll have many interested suitors.
Jerry Jones and the Cowboys, specifically, could (and should) be the first in line if/when that time comes. Dallas has a major benefit over every team outside of New Orleans, too. Payton had a home in Dallas, his son played high school football in Dallas and he previously served on Bill Parcells’ coaching staff (2003-2005) with, you guessed it, Dallas. His connection with Jones is well-documented. Payton took over as the head coach in New Orleans in 2006 after his departure from the Cowboys as an assistant head coach/passing game coordinator.
The Saints, who own Payton’s contract rights through the 2022 season, seemingly will have to hire Payton’s replacement ahead of the 2022 campaign. It indicates that if Payton were to choose to return to coaching before 2023, he would be under contract with New Orleans and need to be traded. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers swapped draft picks with the Arizona Cardinals three years ago to acquire Bruce Arians. Payton is an unrestricted free agent after next season.
In addition to Payton’s connections to the Cowboys, there is the added element with current head coach Mike McCarthy. McCarthy, while having three more years on his contract, is 18-15 in his two years in Dallas and is fresh off a wild-card exit after a brutally poor coaching performance. Jones hasn’t exactly indicated McCarthy is the long-term plan and Jones could see Payton as a better option for the built-to-win group.
All told, however, it would a bit of a surprise for Payton’s exit from New Orleans to immediately lead to his arrival in Dallas via trade. That wouldn’t exactly be stepping away, as Payton indicated. But perhaps Payton gets the itch midway through the 2022 season with McCarthy’s Cowboys failing to impress Jones? Perhaps Payton wants back on the headset after one year away all while the Cowboys failed to make a deep postseason run?
The Cowboys, who long have been linked to the head coach, certainly have a better chance of bringing him aboard than they did prior to him calling it a career in New Orleans.
