Sean Payton returned to the Superdome in New Orleans, but this time, things were a little different.
Instead of donning Saints colors, Payton stood on the sidelines with an orange visor, leading the Denver Broncos to a dominant 33-10 win over his former team. It wasn’t exactly a warm welcome home for the coach who holds the record for the most wins in Saints history.
Reflecting on the victory, Payton admitted that it meant a lot to him, even though he had little time to get sentimental with just two days of preparation. “It meant a lot,” Payton said about receiving the game ball after the win. “I didn’t get much sleep leading up to the game, so I was more worried about being rested and ready. But seeing old players and familiar faces made it special.”
Payton’s return came nearly three years after stepping down as the Saints’ head coach. In that time, the team has struggled, now enduring a five-game losing streak, while Payton seems to be guiding the Broncos in the right direction. “We’re building, we’re figuring it out,” he said confidently after the game.
In typical Payton fashion, he kept his focus on the game and not the emotions of the night, but there’s no denying the feelings involved. After all, Payton is more than just a former coach; he’s the most successful coach in Saints history. During his 15 years (minus his 2012 suspension), he led the team to a 152-89 record, securing their only Super Bowl title. His legacy with the Saints was impossible to ignore, especially on a night when Drew Brees, the quarterback who shared in that success, was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame at halftime.
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Payton and Brees shared a special bond during their time together, leading the Saints to unprecedented success. “It’s always good to see him,” Payton said, recalling how Brees chose the date for his ceremony after checking the schedule, knowing his former coach would be there.
Things have certainly changed since the Brees-Payton era. Under current head coach Dennis Allen, the Saints haven’t been able to replicate that magic, missing the playoffs and struggling with a losing record since Payton’s departure. But Payton hasn’t stayed away from the game. He came out of retirement to coach the Broncos, a move that required a trade since he was still under contract with New Orleans.
Thursday’s game marked just the second time in NFL history that a coach who had won 150 or more games with a team later faced them as an opponent. The first was the legendary Curly Lambeau, who returned to face the Green Bay Packers as the coach of Washington in 1952. Unlike Lambeau, Payton walked away with the win, a smile rarely leaving his face after the victory.
The game wasn’t all about nostalgia, though. Payton’s Broncos put on a show, racking up 225 rushing yards, their highest total of the season. Javonte Williams and rookie quarterback Bo Nix led the charge, while the defense applied constant pressure on a banged-up Saints team. “We ran the ball well, and defensively we got pressure,” Payton said. He even shared some kind words for Saints coach Dennis Allen, telling him to “get healthy,” acknowledging the Saints’ struggles with injuries.
Nearly two decades ago, Payton took over a Saints team that had seen little success. Now, he’s trying to do the same with the Broncos, a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs since their Super Bowl 50 win in 2015. Thursday’s victory was another step in that direction, and it also gave Payton the distinction of having defeated all 32 NFL teams during his coaching career.
