Utah_Saint

By Larry Holder LHolder@NOLA.com,
NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
Tom Benson displayed loyalty to Sean Payton when the New Orleans Saints' coach was banned by the NFL for the 2012 season.

Benson's support never wavered for the team's most successful coach in franchise history despite the loss of draft picks, the fines, the embarrassment and essentially the loss of a season as part of the bounty scandal.

You couldn't blame Benson for his allegiance to Payton, who had guided the Saints to their only Super Bowl title three seasons earlier.

Payton returned from exile with a vengeance, opening the 2013 season with a 5-0 record en route to an 11-5 overall mark and road playoff win at Philadelphia.

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Benson maintained his trust in Payton after two subsequent 7-9 seasons. He even kept confidence in Payton despite the coach's flirtation with potentially leaving the organization after the 2015 season.

Payton's reward?

A five-year contract extension through the 2020 season that made him the highest-paid coach in the league at about $9 million annually.

Benson's reward?

A third consecutive 7-9 mark that brought the Saints back to the level we last witnessed under Jim Haslett. Now, the Saints are a national afterthought even with future Hall of Famers Drew Brees and Adrian Peterson in the backfield.

More here...
Saints can't afford another mediocre season out of Sean Payton | NOLA.com

SmashMouth

NeauxFW?

jeanpierre

As big a fan I am of Payton the offensive innovator, I sometimes wonder if a younger Tom Benson wouldn't have moved on...

Seer1

Holder opens up a whole can of obvious here....

dizzle88

It should be titled "Sean Payton can't afford another mediocre season"

Euphoria

I think the Offensive innovator tittle is and has been played out.

His offense is the same as it was when he arrived. To me innovation is to adabt and come up with other ways from time to time.

Don't get me wrong I am all for him keeping this job as long as he wants it because bringing a SB to NO so far has been a once in a lifetime/franchise thing so far. I just don't want them trying to walk thru a brick wall year after year and not changing things... if something isn't working figure it out and try something different.

I think they are started doing that last offseason and continued into this offseason. We should start to see this pay off in a year or two. Because the thing is you don't build a roster with VETs. You have to do it with younger draft picks or you get those younger vets that or on the bubble of becoming good to great players. Something the Pats have done... I would argue that is what the Browns are doing and you are starting to see the Bills do it. Tank a season and get hight round draft picks and then sale off your vets for more picks. Keeps you out of cap hell and fresh blood. What the Saints started doing is loading up in the draft on each level of both sides of the ball. DB/LB/DL - OL/RB-TE/WR I don't know who's plan this was perhaps the brain child of Loomis and Payton but I like it. Draft is a gamble and you can gamble on those players at every level of the ball.

I think we should see progress with this team this year but won't see the rewards for another year or 2. Problem is out Divison is all progressing. Let see them reach Cap hell and we will once again take over the division.

E U P H O R I A

QBREES9

Championship season this year. No they can't