With only a month left in the 2022 NFL season, it’s time for some teams to start thinking about their next head coach. The end of the season inevitably means the end of several coaching tenures around the league, and it’s safe to assume that several organizations would love for Sean Payton to be their next head coach. The one-time Super Bowl champion reportedly said he would come back if he found the right situation, and there will likely be a few desirable landing spots out there.
It’s important to note that the Saints still have Payton’s rights, so any team that would want to hire Payton would have to trade for him. Because of this, we can safely assume that Payton’s next home will not be in the NFC South. So, sorry Panthers and Buccaneers fans, but there is no scenario where the Saints would ever trade a top-10 head coach to a division rival.
Sean Payton will likely be at the top of this list, just like he is going to be at the top of every list. But hard to imagine any world in which the #Saints — who have his rights until 2024 — would be cool sending Payton to a division rival. https://t.co/6A7QZN3IG1
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 10, 2022
Five Sean Payton Head Coach Landing Spots
1. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers have one of the best young quarterbacks in football and a roster loaded with talent. So, why aren’t they in the playoffs? The Chargers will fire head coach Brandon Staley and offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi if they miss the postseason for the second straight year, and it’s hard to think of a more enticing landing spot. Justin Herbert is already a superstar, and the team is loaded with three great playmakers in Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and a now-proven Josh Palmer. Factor in all the talent on the defense and it’s easy to see why Sean Payton would want to be the next head coach of the Chargers.
2. Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury do not see eye to eye right now, and the stress from their underwhelming season is now coming out in press conferences. This relationship might not be salvageable, and since the team just extended Murray, it’s safe to assume that Kingsbury will be the odd man out at the end of the season. Sean Payton has never worked with a quarterback like Murray in his career, and it would be fascinating to see how the offensive mastermind would incorporate a player with Murray’s unique traits into his scheme.
3. Indianapolis Colts
Jeff Saturday has done a decent job thus far as interim head coach, but the Colts would probably prefer to have somebody like Payton calling the shots. Obviously, the team does not have a franchise quarterback, and that is going to be a tough selling point for Payton. However, Tom Brady will be a free agent in 2023, and both Brady and Payton were reportedly interested in teaming up in Miami. If that interest still exists, then perhaps the two could join forces with the Colts. After all, the rest of the roster is strong and could easily compete in 2023 with the right coach and quarterback.
4. Denver Broncos
The only way Sean Payton ends up in Denver is if he believes that Russell Wilson can be saved. The one-time Super Bowl champion has been one of the worst passers in the league this year, despite having tons of talent at the wide receiver position. However, if Payton believes he can fix Wilson, then this is a very attractive landing spot. The Broncos have arguably the best defense in football, and truly are a quarterback away from competing for a Super Bowl.
5. Houston Texans
This one is admittedly a long shot, but it is possible. The Houston Texans are a trainwreck right now, but they have the resources to rebuild to quickly rebuild their roster. Thanks to the Deshaun Watson trade, the team is loaded with draft picks, and they’re currently on a collision course with the first-overall pick in what is supposed to be a loaded quarterback draft class. If Payton falls in love with one of the top prospects, then perhaps he’d be willing to personally oversee a rebuild.
