NEW ORLEANS — Thanks to Sean Payton, Saints fans have a new response for doubters this season: "Worry about your meat!"
The now infamous comeback from Coach Payton to a butcher at the grocery store who questioned his play calling has been a bright spot for Saints fans after the team's narrow loss to the 49ers Sunday.
But what really happened in that Whole Foods?
During Wednesday's phone call with reporters, Payton told the whole story of the butcher who asked the question many fans were shouting at their TV the day before.
"It wasn't really negative," Payton said. "I thought (the comments) were all kind of in jest, and I heard one of them say something about, 'why'd you go for two?' I kept walking toward the dairy and I'm like, "Ah, I'm not letting this go. I'm turning around.'"
The butcher was referring to the failed 2-point conversion attempt that came after the Saints first touchdown in their 48-46 loss against San Francisco.
Payton said he came back and explained that he wouldn't normally go for two that early, but after the penalty the Saints were on the 1-yard line and had a good chance to convert.
"He got it, then I gave him a hard time and said, 'some of these cuts don't look good to me,'" Payton said. "It was in jest. We were having a little fun."
The story became popular among Saints fans after Payton talked about it on the WWL Radio coaches show.
"I got the guy at freaking Whole Foods asking me about the two-point play. The guy from the meat section. I looked at him and said, 'Hey, your steaks don't look too good right now. Worry about your meat. Driving me crazy,'" Payton joked with Bobby Hebert and Zach Strief.
The Saints will continue their fight for a top NFC playoff spot on Monday Night Football against the Indianapolis Colts on Dec. 16.
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