The Houston Texans surprised us when they requested permission to speak to Sean Payton about their opening. Of course, the Texans shouldn’t leave any stone unturned in the search for their head coach and they have requested interviews with six other coaches in the days after they fired Lovie Smith. Those seven requests are the most of any team in the NFL. Clearly the process will be different.
Still, Payton represents a surprise because of all of the intrigue attached. Payton is officially under contract with the New Orleans Saints through the 2024 season.