st thomas

you may have something there, i remember the offense had problems moving the football in training camp back in 2009, oh heck we won that superbowl 44 with that defense.

jeanpierre

jeanpierre

Yeah, I'd say his role is "overblown" because the Pels are worse than mediocre...

halloween 65

The guy jumped ship to go to Denver where he really didn't do well, then jumps ship to Oakland where he totally bombed, then Payton out of pity( because Payton give him his recommendation in the first place) brings him back in (title I never heard of) to watchover Ryan and Payton hires him as DC, he gets us to the 28th, yes 28th ranked D and somehow, someway he's our knight in shining armour. I hold him to only to his overall body of work and from what I see it's no where near DC material let alone HC material. You might be right though with the conspiricy theory Payton could be setting him up for Paytons exit, and if so he want make it long. If he took over today it would be a team that Payton set up and watch the downward spiral if he would make it even 2 years. I kind of got a conspiricy theory also ,if the D don't cut it this season I don't think we got to worry about Payton or Allen being here?

jeanpierre

AsylumGuido

They keep popping up because hacks like La Canfora and Rapoport are known for speculating on anything and everything hoping that one day they can actually claim to have gotten something right. Every one of these stories have originated from one of these two. You never hear Jay Glazer, who is close to Payton's inner circle, ever starting any of these crazy rumors.

jeanpierre

jeanpierre

In the NOLA television market, Eric Asher hosts a real good sports talk show Inside New Orleans Sports on WLAE (that show, Sherlock and the occasional historical documentary are about all I watch on PBS now - too much liberal bias on the news for me, a moderate)...

He has many of the local writers and sports alum with credibility on the show...

Am absolutely in agreement with you on credibility of LaCanfora and Rappaport...

But even Asher's guest are saying (and even Jim Henderson on his show) that Payton hasn't definitively come out with statement that put this noise to rest as he did last year...

Point is there''s definitely real smoke going on besides these national bafooons...

Much of the local people "in the know" think the reason why Payton may have his associates promoting his brand or market is because of the ownership future of the team...

And that seems like valid discussion and more likely context to Payton's future with the team...

It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way...

AsylumGuido

Actually Payton did address it on January 2nd of this year.

Sean Payton gives strong statement on plans to stay with Saints

Sean Payton gave his strongest statement yet that he plans to stay with the New Orleans Saints on his weekly WWL Radio show Monday night.

"My plan is definitely to be back here. Shoot, I've got four more years on my contract here. And I plan on honoring that," said Payton, who had mostly refused to answer any questions on the subject before that point.

Earlier Monday, Payton told reporters that it would be "silly" to answer such speculation every time it comes up.

Payton also strongly denied reports from ESPN, NOLA.com and other outlets that he met with Saints general manager Mickey Loomis after Sunday's game to discuss his coaching future. Payton said he and Loomis always meet after games.

"[The report] about Mickey and I meeting was completely false," Payton said. "Mickey and I for the last 11 years after every game share the same locker room [on the road]. We come in, we have a Gatorade, we talk."


Sean Payton'€™s departure would be buzzkill for optimistic Saints
With the Saints feeling like they're headed in the right direction, losing coach Sean Payton would be a significant blow.
A source told ESPN that Payton's future was discussed during Sunday's conversation, though, and that it would continue to be discussed into this week, as the Saints try to determine whether Payton will keep coaching in New Orleans or Loomis would be willing to explore a trade with another team.

Payton said his first question to Loomis was whether the officials made the right call when they overturned a touchdown catch made by Saints tight end Coby Fleener -- which is typical of such conversations.

"We go through every penalty. Then we get a cheeseburger and we get on the plane," Payton said. "But if I'm going to answer questions to a report like that that's inaccurate, then we only just feed or turn the rumor mill, so I won't. And that's just the way it is, and you know what? That's tough."

Asked if he would like to send assurances to players, fans and assistant coaches, Payton tersely responded, "No, you don't speak for the fans. You think you do, but you don't. The fans actually get tired of reports like [Sunday's] that aren't accurate.

"I was excited to hear the response of our veteran players to the same questions you're asking me, and those were, 'Listen, spit out sources, clear up the story that you claim to have, and then we'll answer the question.' But otherwise we're not going to answer questions every week based on someone else's Twitter scoop. It's silly.

"I know the Saints' [spokesperson] took that position ... and I saw and listened to our players' responses, and mine are the same. ... There's no accountability there when it comes to, for instance, Mickey and I met last night for an hour after the game. It's completely false. So why would we answer questions about stories that way when they're not accurate to begin with?"

Payton did not address the NFL Network report that he and the Los Angeles Rams have shown mutual interest in exploring a possible trade, or the NOLA.com report that the Rams are expected to seek permission to interview him this week and that the Saints would be willing to explore a trade.

A source told ESPN that the Rams have so far been concentrating on available coaching candidates but that Payton could emerge as a candidate.


Sean Payton struck back against reports that he is considering leaving the Saints this offseason.

Such reports were even more prevalent throughout last season, before Payton ultimately decided to stay in New Orleans and re-up with a five-year contract worth more than $9 million per season. The San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts emerged as potential suitors, but the interest wasn't strong enough to sway Payton away.

However, the Rams could prove to be the X factor if the mutual interest is sincere. They are a big-market team with a ready-made defense and a young quarterback, Jared Goff, whom Payton liked during the pre-draft process last year.

One element the Rams are lacking is draft picks after sending their 2017 first- and third-rounders to the Tennessee Titans when they traded up for Goff last year. As such, it will be interesting to see what the Saints would require in exchange for Payton -- and whether the Rams would be willing to pay that price.

Although Loomis and Saints owner Tom Benson might be willing to explore a mutually beneficial trade, this is not a case in which the Saints are eager to push Payton out the door and start from scratch.

A source told ESPN last week that the Saints are happy with the direction their young team has been taking this season, despite a third straight 7-9 finish. The source refuted an NFL Network report that morale is lower in New Orleans this season than it was last year, saying it's quite the opposite.


Players and coaches have expressed the same level of optimism, with quarterback Drew Brees comparing the current vibe around the Saints to when they went 7-9 and 8-8 in the two years before winning a Super Bowl in the 2009 season.

Brees brushed off the Payton reports as speculation on Monday as the Saints held their exit meetings.

"[I'm not going to] believe everything I hear that's floating around until I have the opportunity to talk to everybody face-to-face," Brees said. "All this is very speculative. So we're talking hypotheticals here. Listen, we deal with things as they come, but I just don't expect that to happen."

Brees said he has "not gone there mentally" when asked if he could imagine playing for another coach in New Orleans. But he insisted the talk is not a distraction.

"If anything, it's tough for me, because as the quarterback you want to win football games, and that's what solves this problem. That's what makes all this stuff go away," Brees said. "We are in a results-driven business. And when the expectation level is playoffs and any time you fall short of what your expectations and goals are, then obviously there's going to be speculation."

I really love peace and quiet. - Barry Sanders

jeanpierre