After 15 seasons as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints, Sean Payton announced he was stepping away from the team Tuesday, Jan. 25.

“I still have a vision for doing things in football, and I’ll be honest with you, that might be coaching again at some point. I don’t think it’s this year… that’s not where my heart is right now,” Payton said at his press conference. “I don’t know what’s next, and it kind of feels good.”

The Saints hired Payton in 2006 after firing former head coach Jim Haslett after a 3-13 season. New Orleans found instant success as they made it to the franchise’s first NFC Championship in Payton’s first season as coach. 

Three years later in the 2009 season, Payton led the Saints to their first and only Super Bowl appearance. The Saints were trailing 10-6 at halftime to the Indianapolis Colts before Payton made an unprecedented coaching decision: an onside kick to begin the second half. 

In one of the most memorable Super Bowl moments, the Saints recovered the kick and instantly received momentum. New Orleans went on to win Super Bowl XLIV 31-17.

Payton’s overall record as Saints head coach was 152-89 with a .631 winning percentage. The Saints have the fourth-best record overall since 2006 at 159-98 (Payton was suspended for the entire 2012 season as a result of the Bountygate scandal). 

His teams reached three NFC championships and won nine playoff games whereas the Saints only had one playoff win total prior to Payton’s tenure.

A great coach can make a team successful, but a leader at quarterback is essential to a great team. Payton found that with Drew Brees, who also joined the Saints in 2006. 

It was a match made in heaven as Brees broke numerous passing records with Payton’s offense. Before the 2021 season implemented a 17 game season, quarterbacks threw for 5,000 yards in a season 12 times. Brees accounted for five of such seasons. 

Payton and Brees trail only Bill Belichick and Tom Brady in wins by a coach-quarterback duo.

There are numerous coaches who have won many games and had great offenses. After all, Sean Payton is 21st in total wins by a head coach. The aspect that sets him apart is what he, alongside Brees, meant to New Orleans. 

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans. All hope was lost as floodwaters flowed across the city, leaving many homeless and displaced. The Superdome was used as a shelter as the Saints played home games primarily in San Antonio and Baton Rouge. 

The city was reeling, and the only direction the people could look was towards the Saints. The Saints returned to the Superdome on Week 3 of the 2006 season on Monday Night Football against the Falcons.

 When Steve Gleason blocked a punt on the first possession of the game which led to a Saints touchdown, the sold-out crowd in the Superdome erupted. New Orleans had found its hope.

“In the bleakest moment of New Orleans [Brees and Payton] were hope,” Ryan Clark,who grew up just south of New Orleans, said on ESPN. “I think Sean Payton’s legacy goes far beyond what he’s meant to football in New Orleans.”

Once Brees retired, the quarterback situation became vastly more difficult in New Orleans. Four different quarterbacks saw significant playing time during the 2021 season.

 The Saints had an NFL record 58 different starters during the season. Hurricane Ida forced the team to relocate to Fort Worth for the first month of the season. They played their first game of the season in Jacksonville as the home team. 

Despite all of these obstacles, Payton coached the Saints to a winning record and came up minutes short of making the playoffs. Payton noted that it was a difficult season, but he insisted that this decision was something he had been pondering before the season began.

“Sean Payton was wrestling with stepping away for a year or two…[He] told [Saints Owner Gayle Benson] a couple of weeks ago, and she asked him to take some time off and think about it. He’s gone up and down about it for a while, too, but the theme I got more than not is that he needs a break,” Jay Glazer of Fox Sports said.

“[Brees and I] never discussed when my last game would be, but this season…it was challenging for everyone. But, man, I felt like it was time,” Payton said. “I felt the time was right, and it’s something I’ve been thinking about.”

Payton received an outpouring of support from his former players following the announcement.

“Sean Payton is a legend. Don’t ever forget that,” Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas said on Twitter.

“[I] appreciate this man more than I can express. [I] wish you well on everything you do going forward,” Saints linebacker and team captain Demario Davis said.

“Sometimes talent and ability just need an opportunity to prove itself. I’m forever grateful for that opportunity. The impact of your vision and leadership reaches beyond wins and losses- it helped create a culture that’s unmatched,” former Saints wide receiver Marques Colston said.

As the Saints look forward to the future, Payton mentioned current defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as a “great candidate” for the next head coach. When that time comes, it will officially mark the start of a new chapter for the organization, moving from the historic 15 seasons of the Payton Era.

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard,” Payton said.