New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton missed the second practice of training camp Friday (July 27) to attend the memorial services for Minnesota Vikings offensive line coach Tony Sparano, who died July 22 at age 56.
Assistant General Manager Jeff Ireland, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael; defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and assistant head coach Dan Campbell accompanied Payton on the trip.
"He was a close friend," Payton said Thursday. "We worked together for three years in Dallas. We were hired on the same day and his office was right next to mine and (he was) probably one of the two or three closest friends I had in the game.