Report: Sean Payton to Have 2nd Meeting with Amazon About Joining NFL Broadcast

Former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton will meet with Amazon for a second time about a role on the streaming service's Thursday Night Football broadcasts for the upcoming season, per Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk. 

That follows reports that Fox is pursuing Payton as a replacement for Troy Aikman with the longtime analyst and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback reportedly set to bolt for ESPN's Monday Night Football broadcast.

According to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, Fox wants Payton to serve as the color analyst on its top broadcast team alongside play-by-play commentator Joe Buck.

But the New York Post's Andrew Marchand reported that ESPN "could try to pry Buck from Fox."

The broadcasting carousel could have a few turns this offseason. Al Michaels' contract with NBC expired, and per Marchand, the 77-year-old broadcaster "has been on the 1-yard line in his negotiations to be the lead play-by-play voice when Amazon Prime Video begins its exclusive coverage of Thursday Night Football. Michaels had hoped Aikman would join him on Thursday nights."

Aikman's deal with ESPN will reportedly be for five years and is "expected to approach or exceed the neighborhood of Tony Romo’s $17.5 million per year contract with CBS." 

As for Payton, the 58-year-old stepped away from coaching in January after serving as the Saints' head coach since 2006. He compiled a 152-89 record at the helm, leading New Orleans to nine playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title. 

The concern for any broadcasting outfit with Payton is that the coaching itch may return after a year or two away from the game. Jon Gruden left his post at ESPN in 2018 to serve as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, then in Oakland. 

Gruden spent nine years in the broadcast booth before making his return to coaching. It's unclear if Payton would wait that long or if the less demanding nature of a broadcasting career compared to coaching would entice him to remain in the booth.