Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Sean Payton
Patrick Sean Payton (born December 29, 1963) is an American professional football coach and former quarterback who is the head coach for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). Previously, he served as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 2006 to 2021, leading the franchise to its first Super Bowl victory during the 2009 season. Payton played college football for the Eastern Illinois Panthers and played professionally in 1987 with the Chicago Bears and in 1988 overseas in Britain for the Leicester Panthers.
He began his coaching career as offensive assistant for San Diego State University and had several assistant coaching positions on college and NFL teams before being named as the tenth full-time coach in Saints history in 2006. Payton has always been known for his offensive prowess, having scored more points (2,804) and gained more yards (40,158) than any other team in a coach's first 100 games in NFL history. Payton had the second-longest NFL single-team tenure among active head coaches, behind New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who coached the Patriots from 2000 to 2023.
Under Payton's leadership, the Saints made the 2006 NFL playoffs after a 3–13 season in 2005 and advanced to their first NFC Championship appearance in franchise history. Because of this effort, Payton won the AP NFL Coach of the Year Award. Following the 2009 season, the Saints won their first Super Bowl championship in franchise history. In 16 seasons with the Saints as head coach, Payton helped guide the team to three NFC Championship games (2006, 2009, and 2018), a victory in Super Bowl XLIV, and nine total playoff berths with seven division titles, making him the most successful coach in Saints franchise history.
In April 2012, Payton was suspended for the entire 2012 NFL season as a result of his involvement in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal, under which "bounties" were paid for injuring players on opposing teams. Before the 2011 season began, an email sent by Michael Ornstein outlined a plan offering $5,000 to anyone who would injure Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the season opener, which Payton initially denied knowing about but later admitted to having read. Payton filed an appeal, but was denied, and was reinstated in January 2013.
In Payton's second year as coach of the Denver Broncos during the 2024 season, the team would make the playoffs.
Payton was born in San Mateo, California, and raised in Naperville, Illinois, by parents Thomas and Jeanne Payton. Payton's parents were originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania; Thomas worked in the insurance industry. Payton lived in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, during his grade school and middle school years (1970–1978). He attended Naperville Central High School in Naperville, Illinois, starting as quarterback his senior year before graduating in 1982. Earning a football scholarship, Payton had a successful career playing quarterback at Eastern Illinois University, leading the Panthers to an 11–2 record and the quarter-finals of the Division I-AA Playoffs in 1986. While attending EIU, he became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and was later named a Significant Sig; one of Sigma Chi's highest honors. Under coach Al Molde, Payton's Eastern Illinois teams were known as "Eastern Airlines" due to their prolific passing attack that frequently topped 300 yards per game (and had 509 passing yards in one game, still a school record).
Although he was not drafted in the 1987 NFL draft, Payton tried out for the Kansas City Chiefs for one day. In 1987, he played quarterback for the Chicago Bruisers and Pittsburgh Gladiators during the inaugural season of the Arena Football League, before his rights were sold for $1,000 to the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. He was also a member of the Chicago Bears squad of strikebreaking replacement players, known as the "Spare Bears", during the 1987 NFL players strike. In 3 games he completed 8 of 23 passes (34.8%) for 79 yards, no touchdowns, an interception, and a passer rating of 27.3. He was also sacked 7 times for 47 yards and had one rush attempt for 28 yards. His one interception came against the New Orleans Saints, the team he would later go on to coach to a Super Bowl victory.
In 1988, he played for the Leicester Panthers of the professional UK Budweiser National League. Payton landed the starting quarterback role for the Panthers. Payton led the Panthers to a touchdown on their first possession, and an 8–5 regular season record. That same season saw the Panthers go to the Quarterfinals of the playoffs BAFA National Leagues, eventually losing to the London Olympians. Afterwards Payton returned to the US to take up a coaching position.
Hub AI
Sean Payton AI simulator
(@Sean Payton_simulator)
Sean Payton
Patrick Sean Payton (born December 29, 1963) is an American professional football coach and former quarterback who is the head coach for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). Previously, he served as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 2006 to 2021, leading the franchise to its first Super Bowl victory during the 2009 season. Payton played college football for the Eastern Illinois Panthers and played professionally in 1987 with the Chicago Bears and in 1988 overseas in Britain for the Leicester Panthers.
He began his coaching career as offensive assistant for San Diego State University and had several assistant coaching positions on college and NFL teams before being named as the tenth full-time coach in Saints history in 2006. Payton has always been known for his offensive prowess, having scored more points (2,804) and gained more yards (40,158) than any other team in a coach's first 100 games in NFL history. Payton had the second-longest NFL single-team tenure among active head coaches, behind New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who coached the Patriots from 2000 to 2023.
Under Payton's leadership, the Saints made the 2006 NFL playoffs after a 3–13 season in 2005 and advanced to their first NFC Championship appearance in franchise history. Because of this effort, Payton won the AP NFL Coach of the Year Award. Following the 2009 season, the Saints won their first Super Bowl championship in franchise history. In 16 seasons with the Saints as head coach, Payton helped guide the team to three NFC Championship games (2006, 2009, and 2018), a victory in Super Bowl XLIV, and nine total playoff berths with seven division titles, making him the most successful coach in Saints franchise history.
In April 2012, Payton was suspended for the entire 2012 NFL season as a result of his involvement in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal, under which "bounties" were paid for injuring players on opposing teams. Before the 2011 season began, an email sent by Michael Ornstein outlined a plan offering $5,000 to anyone who would injure Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the season opener, which Payton initially denied knowing about but later admitted to having read. Payton filed an appeal, but was denied, and was reinstated in January 2013.
In Payton's second year as coach of the Denver Broncos during the 2024 season, the team would make the playoffs.
Payton was born in San Mateo, California, and raised in Naperville, Illinois, by parents Thomas and Jeanne Payton. Payton's parents were originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania; Thomas worked in the insurance industry. Payton lived in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, during his grade school and middle school years (1970–1978). He attended Naperville Central High School in Naperville, Illinois, starting as quarterback his senior year before graduating in 1982. Earning a football scholarship, Payton had a successful career playing quarterback at Eastern Illinois University, leading the Panthers to an 11–2 record and the quarter-finals of the Division I-AA Playoffs in 1986. While attending EIU, he became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and was later named a Significant Sig; one of Sigma Chi's highest honors. Under coach Al Molde, Payton's Eastern Illinois teams were known as "Eastern Airlines" due to their prolific passing attack that frequently topped 300 yards per game (and had 509 passing yards in one game, still a school record).
Although he was not drafted in the 1987 NFL draft, Payton tried out for the Kansas City Chiefs for one day. In 1987, he played quarterback for the Chicago Bruisers and Pittsburgh Gladiators during the inaugural season of the Arena Football League, before his rights were sold for $1,000 to the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. He was also a member of the Chicago Bears squad of strikebreaking replacement players, known as the "Spare Bears", during the 1987 NFL players strike. In 3 games he completed 8 of 23 passes (34.8%) for 79 yards, no touchdowns, an interception, and a passer rating of 27.3. He was also sacked 7 times for 47 yards and had one rush attempt for 28 yards. His one interception came against the New Orleans Saints, the team he would later go on to coach to a Super Bowl victory.
In 1988, he played for the Leicester Panthers of the professional UK Budweiser National League. Payton landed the starting quarterback role for the Panthers. Payton led the Panthers to a touchdown on their first possession, and an 8–5 regular season record. That same season saw the Panthers go to the Quarterfinals of the playoffs BAFA National Leagues, eventually losing to the London Olympians. Afterwards Payton returned to the US to take up a coaching position.