CharityMike

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 29, 2012, 5:42 PM EST

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When Sean Payton returns to coach the Saints after his yearlong suspension, he’ll do so with a salary that may make him America’s highest-paid coach, in any sport.

Payton’s five-year contract with the Saints is expected to pay him more than $8 million a year, ESPN’s Ed Werder reports. That is believed to be the most any coach makes in any American sport.

In May Forbes estimated that Patriots coach Bill Belichick was the highest-paid coach in America, at $7.5 million a year. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, Rams coach Jeff Fisher and Redskins coach Mike Shanahan are each believed to make a little less than that, about $7 million. Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers is believed to be the highest-paid coach in sports outside the NFL, at about $7 million a year.

Unlike players’ contracts, coaches’ contracts are usually kept private, so it’s possible that some of the reported numbers are incorrect. But at $8 million, Payton would probably be making more money than any coach in the NFL. Or anywhere else.

$8 million salary makes Sean Payton America’s top-paid coach | ProFootballTalk

stickman

I get Belichick being that high, but, Fisher and Carroll? Really?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but, neither of them has won a Superbowl, correct?

pumpkindriver

I'm happy for Sean and happy to have him back. He's worth whatever Tom Benson decided to pay him and since it doesn't count against the cap, who cares how much it is. He's back, he's ours and we're gonna see more greatness being smelled by Drew Brees and company!

Vrillon82

Carroll was probably a long shot hope it works kind of contract.

Fisher and a few others have contracts like this by the front offices because of the revenue generated in regular season more than anything, guys like Fisher win in the regular season alot which generates revenue to easily pay off their bloated contracts. Even though we know they are nothing in the playoffs.