The New Orleans Saints are the only team left with a coaching vacancy. The expectation is the Saints are waiting on Super Bowl LIX to wrap up so they can officially hire Kellen Moore away from the Philadelphia Eagles. That didn’t stop Sean Payton from getting his jokes off.
“Are they announcing that this year or next year?” Payton asked Kay Adams in jest, joining Mark Ingram II and Cameron Jordan on set. Arguably Adams’ biggest inquiry was if Moore a good fit for New Orleans. There aren’t many, if any, people who can answer that question better than Payton. He led the Saints for over a decade to high degrees of success. Payton doesn’t run from the shadow he casts, either.
“I don’t know Kellen,” Payton remarked. “I think he’s real sharp, but there’s a standard here.” He’s obviously referencing the standard set by Payton over his tenure.
That standard has been lost recently. After three years of Dennis Allen at the helm, there are pieces of culture that are gone in addition to the lack of success.
Jordan alluded to that missing part of culture when the conversation shifted to what makes a good coach. Jordan believes a good coach can’t be “afraid to make uncomfortable situations.”
Payton shook his head with pride and replied, “That’s right. We’d make it uncomfortable every once in a while,” as he and Ingram shared a laugh. The two definitely shared tense moments, but that’s Payton’s “love language.”
There’s a growing emphasis on getting an offensive coach. Payton doesn’t subscribe to this thought process: “I don’t think it has to be offense, defense or special teams. Find someone who can lead everyone, someone who is authentic, creative.”
Creativity can come in many forms, but when you pair it with the other aspects discussed, creativity in leadership may be the most important form.
Being your authentic self allows players to believe in what’s in front of them. It’s an impassioned game. If you shy away from uncomfortable situations, you’ll struggle to lead your team through them when they inevitably arise.
For Payton, it all comes down to leading an entire team. That’s one of the biggest changes from coordinator to head coach.
