Latest On Sean Payton, Saints

The Saints capped off their 2015 season with a victory over the Falcons, but now the real uncertainty begins. Rumors abound about the fate and future of head coach Sean Payton, including whether he’ll stay in New Orleans, be released, or perhaps be traded. One place he won’t end up is Miami, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link), who reports that if Payton does leave the Saints, the Dolphins won’t be his destination.

There’s a lot to unpack here, and the report, while informative, does still leave quite a few unanswered questions. For one, it’s unclear whether the Dolphins are not interested in Payton, or whether Payton is not interested in heading to South Beach. Miami hired Chris Grier as its new general manager earlier today, and it’s possible that he and football czar Mike Tannenbaum have already ruled out a pursuit of Payton. But it’s just as reasonable to think that Payton doesn’t see the Dolphins as an enticing destination.

According to Larry Holder of NOLA.com (Twitter link), many Saints players expressed a desire for Payton to stay with the team following today’s game. When asked if he’d like to remain in New Orleans if Payton departs, quarterback Drew Brees dodged the question. “I want to be here, I want to play for the Saints, I don’t want to play for anybody else,” he told Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. “But there’s no reason to talk about it until we all know for certain.”

In a separate piece, Florio lists several potential landing spots for Payton, including the 49ers, Colts, and Giants. We should learrn more tomorrow, as Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis are expected to meet tomorrow to discuss the former’s future.

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