By Tom James
INDIANAPOLIS — Former Eastern Illinois quarterback Sean Payton is expected to be named as the New Orleans Saints new head coach as soon as today.
Although Saints officials have remained mum during their search for a replacement for ex-New Orleans coach Jim Haslett, numerous media reports, including the Associated Press, indicate that Payton has accepted the job and will be introduced during an afternoon press conference at the team’s Metarie, Louisiana practice facility.
According to the media reports, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis and Payton came to an agreement on a multi-year contract Tuesday. He would be the second EIU graduate to be an NFL head coach, joining Denver’s Mike Shanahan.
Among the other candidates who interviewed for the job in the last week were New York Jets defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson, Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon. former Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman and ex-St. Louis Rams Mike Martz.
The 42-year old native of San Mateo, Calif. grew up in Naperville, Ill., and played quarterback at EIU from 1982-86, earning I-AA All-America honors. He threw for 10,665 passing yards and was a three-time All-America selection.
“He was the man,” said former Indiana State safety Vencie Glenn. “I loved playing against Sean when he was at Eastern Illinois. We had some great games when he was there. He threw the ball as well and as hard as anybody I’ve ever played against.”
After stints as a player with the Arena Football League’s Chicago Bruisers, the Canadian Football League’s Ottawa Roughriders and the Chicago Bears, Payton began his college coaching career at San Diego State in 1988.
After two seasons on the Aztecs’ coaching staff, he served two years as the quarterbacks coach at Indiana State under former Sycamores coach Dennis Raetz. Payton was also an assistant at Miami of Ohio (1994-95) and the University of Illinois (1996).
He became an NFL assistant coach in 1997 with the Philadelphia Eagles and has also been a member of the New York Giants (1998-2002) and Dallas Cowboys (2003-05) coaching staffs. Payton was the Cowboys’ assistant head coach/passing game coordinator this year after serving as Dallas’ assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach his previous two seasons with the team.
Although he reportedly had minor skirmishes with Dallas coach Bill Parcells this season over his play-calling duties, both Parcells and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones admired Payton’s ability to stand up for what he believed.
“I like the way he works with Bill. He has thick skin,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram earlier this season. ”He has Bill’s ear, and that’s very impressive.”
During his time with the Giants, Payton was Jim Fassel’s offensive coordinator during a stint that included the team’s 2001 NFC championship and subsequent trip to the Super Bowl,
“Sean has what I call the ‘it factor,’ ” Carolina Panthers coach John Fox told the New Orleans Times-Picayune in a recent interview. Fox served as the New York’s defensive coordinator while Payton was the Giants’ offensive coordinator.
“He has the ability to get it done. He is competitive and is deserving of a head coaching position in this league. He is a smart guy and brings toughness. He can be hard on guys, yet get their respect at the same time.”
It was during Payton’s initial NFL coaching job in Philadelphia where he became a close friend of Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden. Gruden was the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach at the time.
“Sean is not only a good friend, but an outstanding coach. His accomplishments speak for themselves,” Gruden told the Times-Picayune.
