AP Photo/Alex BrandonIan Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that Sean Payton is stepping down as head coach of the New Orleans Saints.
Football reported that Nick Underhill is retiring.
Several well-informed people brought up the idea of Payton becoming a television analyst in the near future, as reported by Jeremy Fowler. That avenue would be opened up by this move.
The Saints have been one of the best teams in the National Football League during the tenure of head coach Sean Payton. He led the team to its first Super Bowl title in 2009, defeating the Indianapolis Colts 31-17.
The partnership of quarterback Drew Brees and his coach, Sean Payton, led to the Saints posting historic numbers. The all-time leader in passing yards retired from the NFL after the 2020 season. Tom Brady has passed that mark.
After a three-year stretch in which the Saints were one of the worst teams in the league, Payton made them one of the best. They had four consecutive titles in the South.
The 2021 season was one of the best for the coach. He had the Saints in playoff contention until the final week of the regular season, despite not having a quarterback.
Over the past five years, the Saints have had one of the best rosters. Their defense finished fourth in points allowed per game.
There is a successful, albeit complicated, legacy with the Saints. He was suspended for the entire 2012 season for his role in the Bountygate scandal, but his best moment was leading the team to the Super Bowl.
The longest-tenured head coach in the history of the New Orleans Saints is Sean Payton. He is the all-time leader in games coached for the franchise with 241.
