Sean Payton is perhaps the hottest name in this year’s head coaching cycle, and he has been connected to three teams currently in need of a new HC. He will at least take an interview with the Broncos — an opening that he reportedly prefers to the Texans’ and Cardinals’ vacancies — but he may opt against returning to the sidelines in 2023.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears that whether Payton takes a coaching job this year or waits until 2024 is a 50-50 proposition. Although Payton is said to be amenable to working with Denver quarterback Russell Wilson and helping him to regain his earlier form, it is also possible that more attractive opportunities are on the horizon.
Indeed, in the wake of the Chargers’ historic collapse in their stunning wildcard round loss to the Jaguars on Saturday night, there was rampant speculation that the Bolts might elect to fire second-year HC Brandon Staley and enter the Payton sweepstakes. For his part, Payton is said to be deeply interested in the Chargers’ gig and the opportunity to work with talented young quarterback Justin Herbert.
On the other hand, there are reasons to doubt that Los Angeles would make such a bold move. As former NFL exec Andrew Brandt observes, while the Broncos’ new ownership group is the wealthiest in the league and could therefore afford to pay Payton the $16MM-$20MM salary he will likely command, Chargers owner Dean Spanos is among the most cash-poor and may be unwilling to pony up that kind of cash while also paying out the remainder of Staley’s contract (Twitter link).
Plus, Herbert himself is now extension-eligible and could be in line for a contract with a $50MM AAV. That is a lot of money for Spanos to stomach, to say nothing of the trade compensation that the Chargers would need to send to the Saints to acquire Payton’s rights.
As of the time of this writing, there have been no concrete reports on Staley’s job security in the wake of the loss to Jacksonville. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently said that Dallas’ current head coach, Mike McCarthy, is in no danger of losing his job, regardless of what happens in the team’s wildcard round contest against the Bucs on Monday. Still, one wonders whether a poor showing by McCarthy’s troops could change that thinking, especially given the long-rumored connections between Payton and the Cowboys’ post.
Longtime Cowboys fan here. Dallas has approximately 0% chance of a championship (again) no matter what happens on Monday. Therefore, I’m more than willing for them to lose on Monday just in case it would inspire Jones to bring Payton in.
you’ll still have the same QB..
Yeah, I know… Damn…
I’m not sure how Staley hasn’t been fired yet. Also tho, it’s time for the national media to stop crowning Herbert a HoFer. He could/should have stepped up and won that game. He reminds me a lot of Carson Palmer. Absolute cannon for an arm…with zero leadership and/or big game ability.
Yes, let’s put that loss on Herbert…
I think Staley has 50-50 chance to stay as HC of the Chargers. But their OC has to go ASAP. Only 8 rushing attempts in the second half of the game that they were leading by 20 is unacceptable.
Any coach can have a bad game. Ray Flaherty lost a title game 73-0. He rebounded to win a championship 2 years later and is in the HOF.
It’s no secret that Jones wants Payton as his HC. Anything less than Super Bowl appearance, McCarthy will be fired after the season no matter what Jones says and Jones is one owner who can engage in a bidding war with Walton group for Payton’s services. Payton will be coaching either Broncos, Cowboys, or Chargers (heard that he prefers SoCal, but money can overrule it easy lol) next season……
There’s marginal odds that Payton may end up in San Diego if Spanos wants to pull the plug on Staley. And if Spanos is cash poor that probably pushes it below the 50% marker.
Outside that, Payton’s going back to New Orleans to draft a new QB or nothing at all.
The Broncos and Cardinals have issues that could potentially derail them for more than one year and Dallas is looking like they might be going to the semi-finals with McCarthy.
Carolina?
Indianapolis?
Ha, Texas?!
These teams just don’t excite anybody, and like Tom Brady, Payton’s not going to work in the North.
If Spanos is too ‘cash poor’ to hire a high profile HC while paying a previous one, he should be forced to sell. Only so many of these pro sports franchises to go around, there shouldn’t be any room for owners who cry poverty to the point their team can’t operate in a normal fashion.
It’d be better for these leagues and their brands if every owner could actually afford to be in the very exclusive industry.
Isn’t his family suing the trust to force a sale? Or something of that nature? He’s pissed his entire family off from what I read a while ago after the move to LA. If he is still “cash poor” now, I assume things haven’t gotten better