What does Payton’s departure mean for the Saints?
        Honestly, what doesn’t it mean? I will be the first to admit that I missed a major clue that the end was near when he walked away from the competition committee. I thought for sure he would leave when Drew did but had no idea it would be in the form of retirement. His aggressive, yet calm ways forever changed the game of football, and the way New Orleans Saint’s fans see football. I certainly believe I can speak for everyone, he will be missed greatly and he will forever represent “The Rebirth”. Even if you were a Sean Payton critic or hater, you still have to feel like you were going to break things off with someone, and they beat you to the punch.

My Three Options:
        Everyone has said Dennis Allen, or Leftwich, and there has been quite a stir around KC Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy, but I have to ask, do we have the roster these guys were blessed with? We have one of the most efficient and impressive backs in the league, but there is absolutely a drop-off of talent on the offensive side of the ball when you look beyond Ian Book. Kidding, of course, I absolutely mean Alvin Kamara. If Micheal Thomas comes back half the player he left, he will be a breath of fresh air for any coach, but that still leaves us a few Tyreek Hill’s short of a star-studded roster. All that being said, I want to explore the obvious options, and then some options that are less mentioned.

Option 1:
        Dennis Allen. This is an obvious one. We have slugged by with subpar offensive and elite defensive play. Pete Carmichael at the OC, Dennis Allen being promoted to HC, and Michael Hodges(the Saint’s current linebacker coach) to DC you provide the most logical promote within the method and offer the easiest transfer of culture, and stability. There is no doubt that the locker room loves DA, and Carmichael is a proven play-caller with a top 10 streak that holds weight all the way back to the merger in 1970. I believe with our current setup, this option would make the most sense for everyone, and allow us to retain two very important pieces of the staff in DA and Carmichael.

Option 2:
        Doug Pederson. Some folks may grab the pitchforks for this one, but hear me out. He IS a Super Bowl-winning coach and made Carson Wentz and Nick Foles look like franchise QBs. That would be in my opinion the equivalent of taking someone like the McCown brothers to the big game and winning it. Not only did he win a Super Bowl with Wentz and Foles, but he made Wentz a front runner for MVP, and the eventually crowned king of Philly the Super Bowl MVP Foles. He also comes from the Andy Reid coaching tree, and is a former career backup at QB, just like our beloved Payton. He also boasts a winning record as a head coach in both the regular season and in the postseason. I am not sure what Pederson did to be ignored from most HC vacancies, but most of the teams passing on him have a history of bad hires, so maybe that is a good sign. Also, it’s almost become a comedy watching people spell Payton as “Peyton” so we could find some continuity in this option because people would surely spell it “Peterson”. And if you are a ULM fan, he shares your alma matter.

Option 3:
        Mike Tomlin. Now I am not saying this one is possible, as he is under contract, but with Big Ben out, and a similar roster with a question mark by QB Tomlin is an interesting option that may be worth a phone call at a minimum. Couple that with the fact that the Steelers GM stepping down marks another question mark that can directly affect Tomlin’s future in the sea of Terrible Towels. All that considered, you add in the fact that the AFC North is seemingly getting stronger than ever(looking at you Burrow), and the NFC South’s departure of Brady looks like the Failcons have the most consistent roster going into the offseason, Tomlin could certainly be looking for a change of scenery where the grass is the same shade of green, just a little easier to water. Plus, he is, by definition, one of the winningest coaches in the NFL. He boasts 9 playoff appearances in 14 years and has pretty well dominated the AFC North racking up 1st place in 7 of those 14 years. His success in Pittsburg came after one Bill Cowher stepped down but didn’t “retire” citing more time with family, and that his coaching career may not be over. Sound familiar? Dallas has for years been after Payton, so I figured I could have a little bit of fun with stealing another HC for a change, and I love the idea of a guy with lit locker rooms and do your job culture to come down to the south and prove he can dominate anywhere. There are zero indications Tomlin is looking to move on, but we were all shocked by the Anthony Davis-Sean Payon behind-the-scenes drama, so maybe I can stir up some truth in the fiction.

In Summary:
        As I say with most of my writing, I am just a guy with zero sources and ideas I like to share. Sean Payton will be severely missed, and I just wanted to explore some options I don’t think I have seen a lot, or at all(looking at you Tomlin). I think the most likely option is number 1, but that doesn’t mean it’s the one that happens. Nonetheless, if we can make it through the adversity of the last few years without rioting, I think we have a new head coach adjusting and prospering under control. Even if the first one doesn’t work out, maybe it leads us to a better option in the years following. If you are a Pelicans fan, you know exactly how this worked out to our benefit in The Blender