Sean Payton had a busy interview with several NFL teams for coaching positions in January while also working as a Fox analyst.
The former Saints coach has finished interviews with the Broncos and Texans and has scheduled upcoming interviews with the Panthers and Cardinals. But even after a report on Tuesday revealed that Payton is expected to do a second interview with Denver, nothing has been confirmed. This means Payton is not yet officially scheduled for a second interview with any team.
On the heels of this message, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that it’s likely Payton won’t end up in any of the coaching roles available for next season.
“I’m saying that there doesn’t seem to be a place for Sean Payton right now,” Rapoport said on NFL Now. “We’ll see, but it seems there’s no place in the coaching world right now.”
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo echoed Rapoport’s coverage, noting that Payton will most likely remain in his broadcasting role this year.
“We’ve been talking all along that there’s a possibility, whether it’s 50-50 or even more than 50-50, that Sean Payton is coming back to Fox for another year because it’s not like he’s like that desperate to get back into coaching that he’ll just take any job,” Garafolo said. “It had to be the right situation on both sides of the table and it doesn’t feel like we’re here now. … We keep hearing that it’s the opposite of that.”
Garafolo added that if Payton doesn’t take up a coaching position this offseason, the former coach would likely be scouting for open positions next year and considering whether those situations are a better fit.