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NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Drew Brees, the unquestioned leader in the New Orleans Saints locker rooms, calls Joe Vitt "the obvious choice" to take over as interim head coach while Sean Payton spends the entire 2012 season serving a suspension for his role in the club's bounty system.

Vitt was suspended six games in the scandal that remains under investigation by the NFL, and the Saints have not yet announced how his responsibilities will be divvied up during his absence for the first third of the regular season, but Brees hardly seems bothered by that.

"Joe Vitt is one of the most respected coaches I have ever been around," Brees said in an email to The Associated Press on Friday. "His ability to lead this team in an uncertain time throughout this offseason and for whatever term we have him during the regular season is undeniable in our locker room."

Vitt, 57, has worked in the NFL since 1979 and joined the Saints as part of Payton's very first staff in 2006. During the 2009-10 Super Bowl championship season, Brees spoke glowingly of Vitt's leadership abilities, recalling a speech Vitt told in which he said players and coaches who win championships together walk together forever in history, regardless of where their individual careers may take them.

"He is the obvious choice and the best choice," Brees said. "I believe I speak for our entire team when I say we believe in him as much as he believes in us."

The Saints had consulted retired coach Bill Parcells, Payton's mentor from their days together in Dallas, while trying to figure out how to move on in Payton's absence. The club eventually decided to make the appointment from in-house, with general manager Mickey Loomis emphasizing the needs for maintaining as much continuity as possible for a team seeking its fourth straight playoff appearance.

Vitt will be able to oversee the offseason training program and training camp before stepping aside for the first six weeks of the regular season.

The decision gives Saints players a measure of certainty and direction as the Monday opening of the offseason training program approaches.

Still looming, however, are possible punishments for between 22 and 27 current and former Saints defenders that the NFL says participated in the crunch-for-cash bounty system that disgraced former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has apologized for running for the previous three seasons. An NFL report has said the system paid off-the-books bonuses for hits on targeted players that knocked them from games or left them needing help off the field.

Meanwhile, Brees still has not committed to showing up for workouts on Monday as he and the Saints continue to press for a long-term contract extension.

The Saints have placed the exclusive-rights franchise tag on Brees, locking him in for at least one more season. Brees, however, has said he does not want to play under the franchise tag, which amounts to a one-year deal with no long-term security in the case of an injury.


Drew Brees: Joe Vitt 'obvious choice' to take over New Orleans Saints - NFL - SI.com

RailBoss

It's the obvious choice no doubt in Drew's mind, okay that's settled next subject.

RaginCajun83

Great so now we have our interim coach and our interim-interim coach, time to get Drew signed and march on to another championship

Danno

Yet he lead the team in OTA's last year during a lockout and played the entire season under the final year of his contract.

How stupid does he think we are?

jnormand

I think Drew is good to go. He will get signed soon....I hope.

SaintsBro

so which is it, the "obvious choice" or "a strong and wrong message." Depends on whether you're already a Saints hater or not. I love it!

QBREES9

Sunday contract done. He'll be their on monday.

pumpkindriver

I kinda think they put Drew's contract on the back burner until they figured out how they were going to move forward in this scandal mess. Now that most of that is settled, aside from player suspensions, they will go back to Drew's contract in earnest. Make no mistake about it , Drew will be signed soon and with a contract that both sides can be proud of.

|Mitch|

sorry Q, but he didn't show up today

RaginCajun83

He wouldn't have shown up today even if he had a contract in place, he's in New York dealing with NFLPA meetings, once again the media making a big deal out of nothing