SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Take Sean Payton out of the mix of potential San Francisco 49ers coaching candidates.
Payton, who just finished his ninth season as head coach of the New Orleans Saints, had been seen as the front-runner for the Niners job after Sunday night's firing of Jim Tomsula, who went 5-11 with a last-place finish in the NFC West in one season as head coach.
But with two years remaining on his contract, a trade would have had to be consummated to bring Payton to Santa Clara. Payton has ties to 49ers general manager Trent Baalke through Bill Parcells.