Sean Payton's Coaching Borders on Legendary
If you've ever watched one of those old videos by NFL Films, then you are more than likely aware of some of the legendary head-coaching figures from throughout the League's 100-year history.
Figures like Vince Lombardi, for whom the trophy that's awarded to the winner of the Super Bowl every year, is named for. There's George Halas, who founded the Chicago Bears franchise and was revered by players that were (and are) legends themselves, like Dick Butkus and Mike Ditka.
And who can forget the 1970's, when coaches such as Hank Stram of the Kansas City Chiefs, Tom Landry of the Dallas Cowboys, Don Shula of the Miami Dolphins, or Chuck Noll of the Pittsburgh Steelers, all had their respective turns in the spotlight.
Now some four decades after those men all rose to Pro Football prominence, there's another name that someday is guaranteed to be added among those unforgettable figures from the past.
And that name is Patrick "Sean" Payton.
Now in his 13th season at the helm of the New Orleans Saints franchise, the effort turned in by Payton thus far through the first half of the current 2019 NFL Season is bordering on being legendary, just like those men in those NFL Films videos.
In the team's first seven games, the 55-year-old Payton has defied the most improbable of odds, by continuing to succeed in one of the worst situations that anyone who is familiar with how things work in the NFL, could possibly ever imagine.
Payton not only lost his starting quarterback, but one who someday will be in the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio himself, in 19th year veteran Drew Brees.
But instead of pressing the proverbial 'panic button' or throwing in the towel on what could have been written off as a lost season altogether, Payton simply refused to yield to such temptation and declined to take the easy way out. What he did instead, was raised the standards of both the players and his coaching staff.
Now five weeks removed from what most experts believed was a catastrophic consequence when Brees tore the thumb ligament on his throwing hand, New Orleans suddenly finds itself with a 5-game winning streak, a game-and-a-half lead in the NFC South Division, and the current #2 Playoff seed in the NFC.
It's an effort that one can argue, not only makes him an early favorite to earn NFL Coach of the Year honors after this season, but will be looked back upon in the upcoming years ahead as an achievement rivaled only by those coaching legends of 100-year NFL lore.
"I don't know if you ever get used to it, but you understand that's part of the deal", Payton told ESPN beat writer Mike Triplett in a recent one-on-one interview.
"I think there's always that challenge of putting the right plan together. I don't want to say pressure. But you're always wanting to make sure you've seen everything, you've thought through everything."
Payton's effort in keeping New Orleans among the League's best teams, could be viewed by some as not being nearly as impressive as a few other outstanding coaching jobs that have been turned in the first half of the season.
Frank Reich of the Indianapolis Colts, Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers, Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers, and Kliff Kingsbury of the Arizona Cardinals (whom the Saints will host this Sunday at the Superdome), all are worthy candidates for the award.
Each have had their own great moments on the sidelines so far this season, and it would be disingenuous not to think that any of their accomplishments are any less impressive than Payton's has been.
But the job that Payton has done — when many had predicted "doom and gloom" and had already began shoveling dirt on top of a Saints season thought to be dead and buried — is the stuff of pure legend.
"What Sean's always done a great job of doing is just playing to the strengths of what's available", Brees told Triplett. "His play-calling, his instincts, his ability to cater to the guys who are out there and put them in the best positions to succeed, are second to none".
Brees' point of view is one widely shared throughout NFL circles, but never has it been more evident than it's been the past several weeks; as Payton has brilliantly demonstrated the wherewithal to sustain success when many believed it was his destiny to fail.
But failure was never an option that Payton would allow his team or the organization to even ponder for a split second.
That in and of itself, speaks to the man that Patrick "Sean" Payton has always been, and will continue to be until the day that he eventually ends what has a phenomenal 30-plus year coaching career.
What Payton has done in the last several weeks, will never be forgotten; and not only by Who Dats and the uber-passionate members of the "Who Dat Nation" Saints fan-base, but football fans in general.
It's a remarkable achievement that not only will be remembered this year for overcoming what was the most dire of circumstances, but one that Pro Football history someday will look back upon with great reverence.
An achievement that one could even say, borders on becoming "legendary".
