Sean Payton is one of the winningest head coaches in NFL history. He’s had plenty of success on the sidelines, including winning Super Bowl XLIV as head coach of the New Orleans Saints. But did you know that the Denver Broncos head coach also had a brief stint in the NFL as a player? Let’s revisit Payton’s playing days.
Revisiting Sean Payton’s NFL Career
Payton played college football for Eastern Illinois, and the quarterback had a brief stint in the NFL as a strikebreaking replacement player with the Chicago Bears in 1987.
Payton appeared in just three games with the Bears, throwing 8-of-23 for 79 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception (while getting sacked seven times).
After Week 2 of the 1987 season, the players went on strike, and teams filled rosters with replacement players willing to cross the picket line. The league missed almost two months because of a players’ strike five years earlier in 1982, and front offices determined it was better to continue playing with replacement players than not play at all.
After missing a week, the NFL picked up the schedule in Week 4 and went on to play three games with replacement players. Games played with replacement players counted in the official standings. Some striking players would cross the picket line and play games with replacement players. Future Hall-of-Fame players Joe Montana, Lawrence Taylor, Tony Dorsett, and Steve Largent were among the veterans who played in replacement games.
Aside from his brief tenure with the Bears, the bulk of Payton’s success came in the Arena Football League, Canadian Football League, and UK Budweiser National League.
Where Did Payton Go to College?
While at Eastern Illinois, Payton was a three-time All-American and passed for 10,665 career yards, which was third all-time in NCAA Division I-AA (now called FCS) history.
Payton set school records for total offense, passing yards, completions, and touchdown passes in four seasons at the school, playing from 1983 to 1986. Tony Romo would later break his school record for touchdown passes.
Eastern Illinois has produced a number of talented quarterbacks who made an impact in the NFL. Aside from Payton, Mike Shanahan played at Eastern Illinois before leading the Broncos to two Super Bowl championships as a head coach in the late 1990s. Romo and Jimmy Garoppolo also played at Eastern Illinois.
#Broncos coach Sean Payton on knowing Mike Shanahan. Both are Eastern Illinois alums. #Denver7 pic.twitter.com/fkdmEV2NK1
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) February 6, 2023
Payton’s No. 18 jersey is retired at Eastern Illinois, and he was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame as a player.