'I don't think any of us know, but he'll let us know soon enough'

3:02 PM

"I don't think any of us know, but he'll let us know soon enough," she said when asked about Sean's status.

According to the NFL Network, the Saints' head coach hasn't yet committed to returning in 2022. He was expected to return to work this week along with the rest of the Saints' coaching staff after a vacation last week.

It would have to be worked out for him to coach another team if he were to be traded. According to multiple outlets, television networks have shown a lot of interest in Payton if he retires from coaching.

"We don't know" is how Benson responded to a question about the status of the quarterback. Who knows? We'll find out soon enough.

The organization doesn't seem to be pressing for an immediate commitment, allowing him time to relax after a long year.

The Saints missed out on the playoffs for the first time in five years. It was one of the most impressive coaching jobs because of Drew Brees' retirement, a roster that had major injuries, salary-cap cuts, and a Hurricane evacuate to Dallas for the first month of the season.

The season was trying, according to Payton in Week 18.

It's been one of those stretches where you just get on to the next task. "You don't have to be surprised," said Payton. When you go back to the beginning of the season, it feels like we were evacuated to Dallas during the storm. It doesn't feel like that's part of the season.

I'm trying to think of a good way to describe it. There is a certain bar for news that you normally have. When it keeps coming and coming and coming via text or in meetings, the bar gets raised because you just keep getting hit in the side of the head. At some point you have to smile and then get ready for the challenge.

Dennis Allen and Pete Carmichael Jr. would likely be considered replacements if Payton left, though they would also explore options outside of the building.

According to Pro Football Reference, Payton is tied for 21st in the history of the NFL with over 150 victories. His career record includes his season-long suspension in 2012 because of the league's bounty investigation. The only Super Bowl victory in franchise history occurred in 2010.

One of the league's all-time great offensive minds is Payton. The Saints are the first team in the history of the league to score 28.6 points per game and gain 391.2 yards per game in the same season.

Today's NFL is not as old as in the past. Bill Belichick has been with his team for longer than anyone else. In his second decade with the Saints, he had four seasons of 11-plus wins. In the Super Bowl era, only three other coaches have done that: Don Shula, Tom Landry and Bill Belichick.