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Sean Payton: 'I Have No Clue' About Rumor Involving Tom Brady, Dolphins
April 20, 2022
Former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton said Tuesday there's no scenario where he would have coached the Miami Dolphins during the 2022 season.
"I told you guys that already. If I had been ready to coach this year, I would have stayed in New Orleans," Payton told reporters. "It's nice to have someone interested. That's about it. Our focus on Tom Brady has been beating him, not joining him."
Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reported in early April there was movement behind the scenes for Brady to join the Dolphins as an executive following his retirement from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He would have then helped hire Payton as the team's coach and, after the Bucs found their replacement QB, returned as an active player for Miami.
"I have no clue about the Tampa Bay-Miami Dolphins-Tom Brady rumor," Payton said. "I understand that there was a request put in where the intermediaries talked, and I'm like the rest of you. I heard that story. I'm getting ready to do TV."
The alleged plan fell apart after former Miami head coach Brian Flores filed a lawsuit against the NFL and three teams for their hiring and firing practices, per Volin.
Payton stepped down as the Saints' coach in January after 15 seasons. He guided the franchise to a 152-89 regular-season record and helped it capture the Super Bowl XLIV championship at the end of the 2009 campaign.
The 58-year-old California native has stopped short of saying he won't coach again in the future but said Tuesday he's close to signing a contract for a TV studio role in 2022.
Meanwhile, Brady ended his retirement after just six weeks and returned to the Bucs' active roster in March. That decision was followed by Tampa Bay head coach Bruce Arians stepping down and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles being promoted to replace him.
Arians, who transitioned into a role in the Buccaneers' front office, denied a link between those two stories and said he was on good terms with Brady.
"We have a great relationship," Arians said. "All the players, every one of them has gotten cussed out, including him. That's just part of me. ... People gotta write s--t. It couldn't be further from the truth."
Regardless of the drama, Brady is back leading the Bucs' star-studded offense, and it sounds like Payton is heading to the TV world for at least one season.
Everyone will circle back to the story if Brady and Payton end up in Miami together in the coming years, though.