Payton, whose suspension begins Sunday, described a long checklist of decisions that needed to be made by the end of this week. Commissioner Roger Goodell said Payton has until Monday to appeal and, if he does, he could stay on as coach pending an expedited hearing.


"I'm appreciative of the opportunity to appeal," Payton said. "I don't know if there would be a benefit."


A source in the league office told ESPN's Rachel Nichols that if Payton appeals, the hearing and ruling would come in "days, not weeks," and that any notion that Payton could extend his working status through the draft in late April is inaccurate.

Payton said another advantage to an appeal is that it would give him the opportunity for another face-to-face meeting with Goodell, in order to clarify the terms of his suspension. Goodell said Monday that while Payton definitely cannot "coach from home," he would not necessarily be banned from total contact with the team.