Sean Payton officially stepped down as head coach of the New Orleans Saints Tuesday afternoon after 16 years on the sidelines. Payton addressed the media and fans in an emotional, 90-minute press conference. The decision of whether or not to move on is something Payton says he had been contemplating for a while.
“This season was challenging for everyone,” he said. “But man, I felt like it was time. I felt like it was time, I kinda knew maybe, heading into training camp that this might. But you don’t share that with anyone. You think ‘well, let’s see how the season goes.'”
Payton brought an unprecedented era of winning to the Saints, collecting seven division championships, nine playoff appearances and the Super Bowl 44 trophy. But Payton’s very first team in New Orleans, assembled in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, remains special to him.
“I appreciate that group of coaches, and that team,” Payton said. “And I still say to this day, in ’06, we’ve had a lot of teams…probably teams that are better than the ’06 team, but none tougher than that ’06 team.”
Payton says he’ll miss the relationship he shares with Who Dat Nation, something that makes Saints fans unlike any other.
“The passion that has been handed down generationally is unbelievable,” he said.
The Saints now begin their search for the franchise’s 14th head coach.
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