Caesars Superdome will host a notable NFL reunion on Thursday night when the Denver Broncos visit the New Orleans Saints. Sean Payton will coach against New Orleans for the first time since the franchise traded him to Denver in 2023.
Payton’s Broncos will carry a surprising 3-3 record into their matchup with the 2-4 Saints, who’ve lost four straight after starting the season 2-0.
Ahead of Payton’s return to New Orleans, let’s revisit his memorable tenure with the Saints.
When Did Sean Payton Leave the Saints?
After working on offensive staffs for the Eagles, Giants, and Cowboys, Sean Payton was named head coach of the Saints ahead of the 2006 season. Payton spent 16 seasons with the Saints, guiding them to three NFC Championship games and a win in Super Bowl XLIV, the lone title in franchise history.
In 16 seasons, the Saints made the postseason nine times, winning seven NFC South titles. Payton’s 161 wins are the most in Saints franchise history.
Following the 2021 season, Payton announced his retirement, stepping away from the Saints and NFL in January of 2022.
“It will be unique,” Payton said ahead of his return to New Orleans.
“Certainly, there will be emotions going back there with players, but I do think that comes up quite a bit in our league. With players and in this case certainly the amount of time I was there, I understand it. We have to deal with the crowd noise. That place is loud, and you guys know that. Fortunately, it’s a short week because I haven’t had a chance to dive into all the other stuff.”
What Did Saints Receive in the Payton Trade?
Payton had to be released from his Saints contract in order to return to coaching for another team. On January 31, 2023, Payton accepted the Denver head coaching job, which required compensation to be sent to New Orleans. The Payton trade was a legitimate NFL blockbuster.
- Saints received: 2023 first-round pick, 2024 second-round pick
- Broncos received: Sean Payton, 2024 third-round pick
Payton is part of a small group of NFL head coaches involved in trades. The others are Don Shula, Bill Parcells, Mike Holmgren, Bill Belichick, Jon Gruden, Herm Edwards, and Bruce Arians.
What Is Sean Payton’s Contract?
Payton’s contract details aren’t publicly known. However, in 2023, longtime NFL insider Peter King reported Payton’s contract was for five years and “in the neighborhood of” $18 million per season.
If King’s reporting is accurate, Payton’s total contract value is roughly $90 million.
How Long Was Payton’s Bountygate Suspension?
While in New Orleans, Payton was suspended for the entire 2012 season due to his role in the scandal known as “Bountygate.” In March 2012, the NFL determined that from 2009 through 2011, the Saints ran a bounty program that provided financial rewards to players for deliberately injuring opposing players during games.
Per the league’s investigation, then-defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who joined the Saints in 2009, was in charge of distributing the funds. Payton was accused of orchestrating a cover-up after the league first investigated the issue in 2010.
Williams, who admitted to his role in Bountygate during a conversation with Roger Goodell, was hired as the Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator in early 2012 but later suspended for the entire campaign. He was fired in 2013 without ever coaching a game for the franchise.
Williams held various NFL coaching roles in the following years and currently works as a defensive coordinator for the DC Defenders of the United Football League. Payton was reinstated for the 2013 campaign and coached the Saints through the 2021 season.
How Long Were Payton and QB Drew Brees Together?
In Payton’s first year in New Orleans, the Saints signed QB Drew Brees to a 6-year, $60 million free-agent contract. The Payton-Brees combo helped the Saints in 2006 in their return to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, winning the NFC South title in their first season.
Brees would throw for over 68K yards and 491 TDs in a Saints uniform, all under Payton except for the season Payton was suspended in the Bounty-gate scandal in 2012. Brees retired after the 2020 season, one season before Payton stepped down as Saints coach.
Brees will be inducted into the Saints Hall-of-Fame Thursday night, with Payton on the other sideline coaching the Broncos.
When Did Payton Coach Russell Wilson?
The Broncos acquired quarterback Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks in a blockbuster trade during the 2022 offseason. Denver hoped Wilson, then considered one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, would help the franchise return to AFC contention.
But Wilson disappointed in his first season with the Broncos, completing just 60.5% of his passes for 3,524 yards and 16 touchdowns, along with 11 interceptions, in 15 games. Financially tied to the aging quarterback, the Broncos hired Payton in 2023, hoping he could help Wilson get back on track.
Under Payton, Wilson posted better box-score stats in 2023 — 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions — but his arm strength, mobility, and decision-making showed obvious decline. He was benched late in the campaign before being cut during the offseason. Wilson now plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“It kind of played out the way I thought it would, honestly,” Brees told NBC Sports back at Super Bowl LVIII. “I think Russell has a skill set and I think Russell is still going to be able to go and have a great rest of his career elsewhere. As I watched them play this year, it didn’t feel like the timing, the rhythm, the tempo that I’m used to seeing in a Sean Payton offense. And I know those are the hallmarks of the offense. That’s the standard that’s been set.”
Payton and the Broncos used the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to select Oregon QB Bo Nix.
“All of those guys during the process did well, whether it was Drake, or J.J., Penix. You spent a lot of time with all of them, and we just had a conviction [about Nix]. His pro-day was on a Friday, and then he had a Saturday workout with us with meetings. We just kept looking at the tape and doing our homework on it.”
What Is Payton’s Coaching Record?
Payton has an overall head coaching record of 172-109, including playoffs. His 161 wins in New Orleans are the most in franchise history. Here’s a full breakdown:
Saints
- Regular season: 152-89
- Playoffs: 9-8 (won Super Bowl XLIV)
- Overall: 161-97
Broncos
- Regular season: 11-12*
- Playoffs: 0-0
- Overall: 11-12*as of Week 6 2024