Sean Payton on Panthers’ HC job: ‘I think it’s attractive’

Former Saints HC Sean Payton believes the Panthers are an attractive destination. But whether or not that applies to him may be a different story.

When owner David Tepper and the Carolina Panthers embark on their eventual search for a new head coach, Sean Payton will certainly be on the radar. But how does Payton himself feel about the opportunity?

Well, whether he was posturing or not, the former New Orleans Saints shot-caller had some kind words for both parties involved—the team in question and their departed coach. While appearing on Monday’s episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, just hours after Matt Rhule’s dismissal, Payton said this:

“I think it’s attractive,” Payton told Cowherd of Carolina’s potential opening. “First off—the jump, sometimes, from a successful college head coach to an NFL head coach is larger than you think. It just is. Schematically, red zone, third down. And I say that respectfully because in college, it’s a different job. You’ve got a certain amount of hours per week, you got spring ball, you’re recruiting. You’ve got a lot of things that are happening.”

Payton, of course, is putting Rhule’s transition to the NFL into perspective. Despite his success in the college game at both Temple and Baylor, the contrast and inexperience is often difficult to overcome.

And that was certainly the case for Rhule, who went 11-27 in his short tenure for the Panthers.

The current FOX studio analyst then put Carolina’s seemingly dire situation in perspective as well. Because, as he’d state, it’s not often a new head coach can walk right into a room with an elite-level passer and a strong structure already behind him.

“Look, it’s almost a unicorn—the open job with a great quarterback, waiting for you to come in and be the foster parent,” he said. “Usually, generally speaking, it’s somewhat broken.”

But, with that being said, are the Panthers too broken to make a move on Payton? Can they afford to send off more assets in the middle of this derailed rebuilding process?

Although he’s not currently on a sideline, the 58-year-old is under contract with the Saints through the 2024 season. So if Tepper even wants him, at least in 2023, he’ll have to send some presumably handsome compensation his division rival’s way.

Now, how attractive is that?

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