Could the Eagles chase Sean Payton?
The multi-year contract extension Sean Payton signed with the Saints in 2011 was voided by the NFL within the year, making the suspended head coach a free agent after this season.
Could the Eagles chase Sean Payton?
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
The multi-year contract extension Sean Payton signed with the Saints in September 2011 was voided by the NFL within the year, making the suspended head coach a free agent after this season, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
In the report, Schefter mentions the Dallas Cowboys as the most likely team to chase the Super-Bowl winning coach, but the Eagles would certainly have to be considered among others that would want Payton.
The Eagles, of course, still have a head coach. But Andy Reid's hold on his job is slipping with his team 3-4 and the Eagles in jeopardy of failing to show the "substantial improvement" owner Jeffrey Lurie said the team must show for Reid to return for a 15th season.
The Eagles finished 8-8 last season and have not won a playoff game since 2008. Reid has another year left on his contract, but Lurie said in August he would not consider a possible extension until after this season.
The Saints announced an extension with Payton last year that would keep him in New Orleans until 2015. But the deal was voided because of his role in "Bountygate," in which the NFL said that Saints defensive players were rewarded for taking out opposing players.
Some believe Payton would likely re-negotiate a contract with the Saints when he returns from a one-year suspension because of his relationship with owner Tom Benson. The 48-year-old, though, has ties to several teams that could be in search of a new coach after the season.
Dallas would be an obvious destination. Payton was an assistant coach with the Cowboys from 2003-05 and he recently purchased a home in the Dallas area. Current Cowboys coach Jason Garrett still has two years left on his contract and would need to have a disastrous second half of the season, some around the team believe, to not return.
Payton was the Eagles' quarterbacks coach from 1997-98 when Lurie was early in his tenure as Eagles owner. He briefly lived in Newtown Square, Pa. as a youth and has spoken fondly of his time living in the area.
He once told a story about standing on Route 202 with a sign celebrating one of the Flyers' Stanley Cup titles in the 1970s.
A lot would have to occur for Payton to end up in Philly. Considered one of the best offensive minds in the game, he would have to find the Eagles' quarterback situation appealing to come back. Michael Vick has three years left on his contract, but he's guaranteed only $3 million. Rookie Nick Foles is an unknown entity.
If the Eagles' season continues to go down the tube, the candidates to replace Reid will only grow. There are the obvious big names, like Bill Cowher and Jon Gruden, former Super Bowl-winning coaches that have become broadcasters. There are also hot college coaches like Oregon's Chip Kelly and Alabama's Nick Saban.
Payton . . .like Dungy, Coughlin, Shanahan . . . won a super bowl with a HALL OF FAME QUARTERBACK.
Doesn't mean they are great coaches. They were in the right place at the right time, like Gruden in Tampa Bay.
— wordsword- C'mon ....with al the sappy bleeding hearts on this thread....this is a SPORTS THREAD...A PLACE TO VENT, A PLACE TO DUMP, A PLACE TO SAY WHAT YOU WANT (in a matter of speaking) to clear your mind of the nonsence WE as FANS must endure week after miserable week! CurletQlink....remember a couple of things, these people, meaning the Eagles personnel, coaches, & owners are billionaire's, millionaire's that suck the life out of a working class community for 16 plus weeks a year! Not to mention the off season when everybody tries to fix the team through talk radio segments that all but drain your your cell phone battery because you wait over an hour to speak your mind! Point is, the BEAGLES are & have been a TRAIN WRECK for a long time! It all starts at the top & flushes down, kind of like a penthouse suite bathroom in the SEARS TOWERS. But fear not, the dying faithful will show up on sunday's to sit in uncomfortable seats, pay more than a benny to take a friend or their son....for what? MEDIOCRITY ! Forget the KODAK moment, watching these overrated rich kids play slop football is slowly destroying my eyesight! So, if the faithful start calling for A.Reid's head on a stick, or they want MiniMin (M.Vick)fed to a pack of hyennia's, & J. Lurie hung in effigy outside the NovaCare Complex, it's ok! My name is Frank Castle & I approve this message !— frank castle
- I can tell you this: Under either Payton or Gruden, the Eagles would cease to be the team that eternally bungles clock management and timeouts. Neither of those gentlemen would tolerate such clownishness.— Dave Clemens
- Gruden or Payton would both be great additions. I would take either in a heartbeat. Gruden is a great coach and he def has the same talent he did in TB in regards to defense. He would do wonders with that defensive line and the secondary. Payton is an excellent offensive minded coach. Get AR and MM out of there and let Payton do his work. With the weapons in Shady, Maclin, Djax, Avant, and Celek he could def do some damage. Once the line gets healthy again then they would be set. Start fresh with Foles and get your starting line back and you could be in line for great years to come. Foles is a big, strong QB that can see over the line. Once they're line gets healthy they'll be fine.— phillyallday11
- What makes you think Sean Payton wants to be controlled by that saggy-faced Megalomaniac in Dallas? He might rather accept coach/control the draft kind of guy like Andy ONLY capable of "CWC"...coaching without choking...one can dream, no>?>?— BirdinParadise
- Yes, the Eagles should fire Reid and try to hire Payton or Cowher, if they don't make the playoffs.— MUADDIB
- Sean Payton is staying in New Orleans.
His new extension will be more valuable than his last one.
Next story.— EmanuelP - Jon Gruden, please. Chucky head-coaching here would be the ultimate.— gho_matt
- Gruden and Payton both WON SUPER BOWLS...Eagles have not won Super Bowl in over 50 years.— Bob112
- Jaws for president of football operations, a la Elway. Let him have complete power to hire and fire everyone. Return this organization to some connection with it's past history. I trust Jaws judgement on a GM pick, and their pick together of a head coach. There is no way Andy can go and Howie can stay in any role involving football decisions. Bring in Jaws to rebuild this organization more conventionally, you know with known football knowledge and experience. The organization is adrift. We need to start over like an expansion franchise. Football people in the front office, proven football coaches on the sidelines, and NFL caliber athletes on the field. There is little talent worth saving in the front office (gutted of evaluators by AR), on the sidelines (hand picked by AR), or on the roster (decided on by AR) at the moment. Step one is hiring Jaws, his rolodex is full of talented front office and coaching candidates. I trust his judgement on coaching and personnel, I don't want him to be GM but to hire a great one.— bentlip
- bottom line is you guys are all fooling yourself if you really think hes going to leave drew breeze for mike vick or tony romo whos even worst then vick lol!!! get over it next candidate lol!!!— DJ_Bootleggah
- You're fooling yourself if you think Vick will be here after this year! He's due something like a $5 million roster bonus the 3rd day of next league year! He'll be gone along with Reid right after they lose the last game in December! — gdibig
- Gruden won the super bowl tony dungy was poised to do just that got ousted before he could finish the job!!! Gruden will be a death wish for our city besides that you think hes leavin the mnf booth to go coach in philly and be under the gun for entire stay i think not lol!!!!— DJ_Bootleggah
- It's a shame you don't know bother to research a subject thoroughly BEFORE you post a comment otherwise you'd realize your post is a reflection of hearsay and distortion of the facts behind what REALLY took place during Gruden's tenure at Tampa Bay. — essell
