Former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton has never been short on bold ideas. Now, a reported plan involving Bill Belichick has made its way into the public eye — and it would’ve been one of the wildest moves of both Payton and Belichick’s coaching careers.
Payton considered making an unusual proposal to Denver Broncos owner Greg Penner after Belichick and the New England Patriots parted ways in 2024, according to ESPN’s Seth Wickersham. That proposal: for Denver to hire Belichick as the team’s head coach until he earned 15 more wins, enough to pass legendary head coach Don Shula for the NFL’s all-time coaching wins record. As part of the plan, Payton would’ve temporarily stepped aside as head coach and moved into an assistant head coach role while continuing to run Denver’s offense. Once Belichick broke the record, Payton would’ve moved back into the head-coaching role.
That setup never came together, with Wickersham writing that it was ultimately too complicated and “maybe too fanciful.” Still, it’s fascinating from a Saints perspective because of how much the idea says about Payton, the longtime coach in New Orleans.
The plan would not have been a normal succession plan or even a blockbuster move; nothing like it has taken place in NFL history. It would’ve been one legendary head coach temporarily handing the title to another, all so Belichick could chase that final record.
For Payton, the appeal likely would’ve been staying close enough to still shape the offense and to get a break from head-coaching duties, while giving the Broncos a once-in-a-generation opportunity to pair two of the most accomplished coaches of the 21st century. It never happened, but it’s an idea that very few people other than Sean Payton would even think about.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Former Saints HC Sean Payton almost stepped down as Broncos coach, too
