Sean Payton teases imminent coaching return on Tom Brady show

Former New Orleans Saints coach and current Fox Sports NFL analyst Sean Payton sounds like he's about ready to return to the sidelines. 

"I think sooner than later," Payton said about coaching again during Monday's edition of the "Let's Go!" SiriusXM show and podcast, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "I really enjoy the current job I have. . . . But I think relative to coaching, though, I know that I want to coach again and it’s not really been a secret. But I wanna find the right spot." 

Payton making such comments on a program that features Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is interesting if only because it's known the Miami Dolphins wished to pair Payton with Brady after the one-time Super Bowl champion coach stepped away from the Saints in January.

"And as Tom alluded to, you know, it’s still about the people," Payton continued during the segment. "Because when it’s all done and it’s quiet, I don’t think it’s the money or the crowd cheers or the trophies or any of that other stuff. I think it’s about the journey with the people that you really enjoy. . . . So we’ll kind of see what happens. But sooner than later though, in fairness to that question. I think that, you know, if not this year, hopefully, next year." 

As John Sigler pointed out for Saints Wire, New Orleans holds Payton’s coaching rights through 2024 per the terms of his contract. Brady, meanwhile, can hit free agency when the new league year opens in March 2023 and has been linked with a return to the Buccaneers, a move back to the New England Patriots, and the San Francisco 49ers. 

Brady could retire from playing this coming winter to begin his new career as lead NFL analyst for Fox. Payton didn't sound convinced that's in the cards: