Benson: ‘I don’t think any of us know’ if Payton is staying with Saints

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - The intrigue swirling around the future of Saints coach Sean Payton deepened Monday (Jan. 24), when team owner Gayle Benson admitted her own uncertainty about his return next season.

“We don’t know, you know? Who knows?” Benson said at an unrelated press conference at her Faubourg Brewing Company in New Orleans East. “We’ll find out soon enough, I guess. I don’t think any of us know. But he’ll let us know soon enough.”

Though Payton remains under contract to the team he has coached for 16 seasons, speculation swirled over the weekend after the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Payton’s return was considered uncertain following an exhausting 9-8 season in which the Saints were forced to start four different quarterbacks because of injury and ineffectiveness.

Payton reportedly is considering whether to return as the Saints’ coach, take at least one year off, shift to a career as a network commentator, or perhaps eye one of the several coaching vacancies around the league where he would have interested suitors.

Any attempt to lure Payton by another franchise would require the suitor to work out a trade with the Saints.

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