Breaking: New Team Enters The Mix For Sean Payton
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 09: Head coach Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 9, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Former Saints head coach Sean Payton is drawing plenty of interest from different NFL teams--including one in New Orleans' division.
The Carolina Panthers have received permission to speak with Payton for their head coaching vacancy, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Carolina joins the Denver Broncos, Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals in the Payton sweepstakes.
In order for any team to hire Payton, it has to provide compensation to the Saints, who have the 59-year-old under contract for two more seasons.
While it might seem unlikely that the Saints and Panther would agree to a deal, it's not something that is unheard of.
"Some of the NFL’s highest-profile coaching deals - Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick - also involved division rivals," Schefter wrote. "If the Panthers were able to hire Payton, he would be the newest entrant to join the list of coaches making an intra-division jump to spice up a rivalry."
The Panthers fired head coach Matt Rhule midway through the 2022 season. Interim replacement Steve Wilks was impressive, but the team is still weighing other options at the position.
Meanwhile, Payton is scheduled to meet with the Broncos on Tuesday.
