The Sean Payton sweepstakes is quickly gaining steam.
The Broncos, Cardinals and Texans are looking to speak with the former Saints head coach about their recent vacancies, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who noted the organizations received permission from New Orleans to do so as the 59-year-old Payton is still under contract with the team.
Payton spent the past season as an NFL analyst for Fox, one year after he stepped away from the Saints following a 16-year run. Payton won a Super Bowl with New Orleans during the 2009 season.
The Broncos will meet with Payton in person on Tuesday morning in Los Angeles, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Thursday. Denver parted ways with first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett in late December following a 4-11 start with veteran quarterback Russell Wilson at the helm.
This past week, the Texans let go of first-year head coach, Lovie Smith after finishing the season at 3-13-1, while the Cardinals fired Kliff Kingsbury after four seasons. Kingsbury, who signed a multi-year deal with Arizona in March 2022, capped off a dismal 4-13 campaign on Sunday with a blowout loss against the 49ers.
Three NFL teams have been granted to speak with former Saints coach Sean Payton as part of their head coaching search. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Though it remains to be seen where Payton will end up, he is said to be a fan of Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, who previously reported how the coach “has done his homework on the Arizona job.”
Murray was drafted first overall by the Cardinals in 2019, Kingsbury’s first year on the job. Four seasons later, however, the two apparently grew “increasingly distant” amid Arizona’s woeful year, ESPN reported in December.
Should Payton head to Arizona, it may be some time before he sees Murray hit the field as the 25-year-old quarterback tore his ACL in a Week 14 loss to the Patriots. Murray agreed to a five-year, $230.5 million contract extension with the team ahead of the 2022 season.
