NEW ORLEANS — While the rest of the NFL is focused on coaches being fired amidst Black Monday, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton is already preparing for the 2022-23 season. It will be his 16th in the Big Easy.
On the heels of one of the most unprecedented seasons, Payton led the Saints to a 9-8 record despite losing their Hall Of Fame quarterback in Drew Brees and digging themselves out of their $100M salary cap deficit. The team also had limited personnel throughout the season to the point in which they set the NFL record for most starters in a season, plus COVID issues and being relocated by Hurricane Ida. An impressive resume for a head coach that has matched the criteria for coach of the year on many occasions. This year, he should not be overlooked.
No coach has been selected for this award with single-digit wins since Bruce Arians in 2012, taking over for Chuck Pagano and leading the Colts on a playoff run. Back in 1990 Jimmy Johnson rebounded the hapless 1-15 Dallas Cowboys to a 7-9 season and was also given the honor. Could Coach Payton be the next?
Also in this episode: Taysom Hill will undergo offseason procedures for Lisfranc injury, further complicating the Saints quarterback conversation headed into 2022. They also bring back eight players on future/reserve contracts helping to fill out the 90-man training camp roster for next season.
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