What a sad announcement! The New Orleans Saints’ manager just been sacked due to
New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton Steps Down After 15 Seasons: ‘Not Where My Heart Is Right Now’
After 15 seasons, Sean Payton has stepped down as New Orleans head coach.
In a news conference Tuesday announcing his decision, the 58-year-old Super Bowl-winning coach revealed he isn’t retiring but is still deciding what his future looks like.
Sources told ESPN that television networks reportedly have shown interest in recruiting him, but Payton quickly shot down those rumors.
“I’ve not spoken to anyone from a media outlet relative to doing television or radio, maybe that opportunity arises, but every time I read something that says, ‘He’s in line for this job,’ I’ll call my agent Don and be like, ‘Don, did you hear something? Because I’d not heard anything,'” he revealed.
“I think I’d like to do that. I think I’d be pretty good at it,” Payton added.
Payton said despite cutting ties with the Saints, he has no plans in parting ways with the sport just yet.
“I still have a vision for doing things in football and I’ll be honest with you – that might be coaching again, at some point… but that’s not where my heart is right now,” he said.
The coach still has three years left in his contract with the team, after he signed an extension in 2019, according to ESPN.
After 16 years with the team, Payton’s career has been met with highs and lows. Four years in, he got the Saints on NFL fans’ radars and turned the team into Super Bowl 44 Champions in 2010.
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However, that success was met with scandal, when three years later, the coach was suspended for knowing about but not stopping the team’s bounty system, in which players were paid bonuses for hard hits and deliberately injuring opposing players, according to ESPN.
The Saints never returned to the Super Bowl and 2021 was the first season the Saints missed the playoffs in five seasons, with a record of 9-8 after the team was faced with many obstacles, including the retirement of its all-star quarterback Drew Brees and the pandemic.
Kate Garraway apologises to Bobby Brazier over daughter’s behaviour at NTAs
Kate Garraway has shared an amusing tale from the National Television Awards, where she had to say sorry to EastEnders newcomer Bobby Brazier because of her daughter’s excitement. Chatting on her Smooth radio show, Kate dished about the glitzy event and how her daughter was thrilled to meet the soap star, even interrupting him in a queue for the loo!
“Let’s talk NTAs,” Kate began, before confessing she felt “completely overwhelmed” yet “so grateful” for winning Best Authored Documentary for her heartfelt film, Derek’s Story.
She gushed about her children, Darcey and Billy, being so proud of their dad, but admitted, “Although Darcey was also very over excited running everywhere nobbling Love Islanders and reality stars for photos. Lovely to see her having fun. But particular apologies must go to Bobby Brazier, who she actually interrupted while he was queuing for the loo! ” Kate added with a chuckle, “Poor soul. He was very nice about it.”
The star-studded NTAs took place at the O2 Arena on September 11, where Kate’s documentary, which poignantly captured her ‘final chapter’ with her late husband Derek, was honoured. Derek sadly passed away in January 2024 after a long battle with health complications stemming from Covid-19.
The Chorley-born political lobbyist faced a harrowing journey with kidney failure, brain inflammation, and liver damage following his illness, reports Lancs Live.
Kate shared in her poignant acceptance speech: “I really genuinely did not expect this, goodness me. This is a bittersweet one isn’t it? It’s very bitter to be here, with the gorgeous Darcey and Billy.”
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She continued with a heavy heart: “I promised them they didn’t have to say anything. We’re halfway through the first year of firsts really. A first Easter and first birthdays, without Derek. It’s so strange to be here for the first Television Awards without him.”
The TV presenter tragically announced Derek’s passing on January 3, uploading a heartfelt Instagram post that read: “I’m sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away. As some of you may know he has been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December which, because of the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications.”
Kate added: “Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed. I have so much more to say, and of course I will do so in due course, but for now I just want to thank all the medical teams who fought so hard to save him and to make his final moments as comfortable and dignified as possible.”
She concluded with a message of gratitude and farewell, “Sending so much love and thanks to all of you who have so generously given our family so much support. Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life.”
