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When the Green Bay Packers fired coach Mike McCarthy on Sunday, it didn’t just open one of the most prestigious jobs in the NFL. It also inadvertantly improved Sean Payton’s status among the most tenured coaches in the NFL.

Payton is now the third longest tenured coach in the league behind Bill Belichick (19 seasons) and Marvin Lewis (16 seasons). And with Lewis on the hot seat in Cincinnati, it might be a matter of time until Payton is second on the list.

It’s not a mantel Payton is proud of or enjoys. He lamented McCarthy’s firing earlier this week, saying he “hated to hear the news (and) how it happened.”

“Don’t get me started on that subject,” Payton said. “As a head coach, the first thing you realize (is) winning, losing, wherever you are at, it is a business, just like it is for the player.”



Payton and McCarthy’s career were always intertwined by fate. They both interviewed for the Packers coaching job. When Green Bay picked McCarthy, it left Payton for the Saints. They were two of 10 new head coaches hired in 2006.

Now Payton remains the lone member of the 2006 coaching class still employed as an NFL head coach. The others — Brad Childress, Herm Edwards, Dick Jauron, Gary Kubiak, Scott Linehan, Eric Mangini, Rod Marinelli, Art Shell and now McCarthy — have all been fired. Half of the group lasted less than three seasons.

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jnormand

Great read. Interesting how Sean has continued to evolve and revolutionize his offense.

QBREES9

Still one of the best ever.

spkb25

Sean completely rebuilt our team after 14. Our defense continues to get better and I still don't understand the hate on Dennis Allen. The guy can clearly coach

SmashMouth

So can our DL coach. Rankins has come around.

spkb25

Rankins was great year one..he looked like a definite probowler. Season 2 I don't know what the hell happened but it wasn't that he was asked to do something different. BS. He has put it all together now and looks more like year one and a real talent. oneyata is coming along too, and our rookie is going to be a real good one. Yes I would have to agree, and I think all of our d coaches can coach. Dline, LB's, and our backend.

We needed this out of Rankis so badly. Push on the iside is huge and man sometimes he just beasts people.

Your team stinks

44Champs

I never doubted him even through the 7 - 9 seasons. He's truly a master motivator and teacher

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Crusader

I think a big thing that has helped Rankins is simply the emergence of Oneymata and Cam just getting better and better. It frees him up and gives him a little less double teams and then its also an energy thing. Defences especially feed on the energy when guys are creating plays and having fun.

spkb25

I did when we had **** drafts and 3 7-9 seasons in a row...but he is focused and has his types of players on this team.

spkb25

he proved me wrong and so did Rankins, couldn't be happier about it either