The rumors Saints coach Sean Payton may be traded to the Rams or that the Super Bowl-winning coach wants out of New Orleans are false. In fact, Payton hopes to finish the remaining four years of his contract with the Saints.
"My plan is definitely to be back here. Shoot I've got four more years on my contract here. And I plan on honoring that," Payton said on his weekly WWL Radio show. He again shot down a report from The Times-Picayune that said Saints general manager Mickey Loomis "would be open" to trading Payton to the Rams.
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"I’ve already read Larry’s (Holder) report for instance about Mickey (Loomis) and I meeting, which was completely false," Payton told reporters earlier Monday. "Mickey and I for the last 11 years, share the same locker room after every game.
"We come in, we have a Gatorade and the first thing I ask Mickey every game (for example) is was the (Coby) Fleener catch ... did he hold on to it? Was the overturn (of the call correct)? Then we get a cheeseburger and then we get on the plane. But if I’m going to answer questions to a report like that which is inaccurate like that, then we’ll only just be churning the rumor mill."
While he is still owed $40 million by the Saints after signing a multi-year extension last offseason, Payton must be wondering if there is any merit to these annual rumors.
Payton, who last led the Saints to the playoffs in 2013 and won a Super Bowl in 2009, is 94-65 in 10 seasons as New Orleans' coach. But the Super Bowl XLIV championship seems distant after three consecutive 7-9 seasons. So why would the Rams want more 7-9 bulls—?