NFL Rumors: Sean Payton Would Be Interested in Cowboys, Chargers, Dolphins HC Jobs

The Miami Dolphins are "among the teams that would interest" former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton if he decided to return to the sidelines, a source close to Payton told the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson.

That source added that "he could also see [the Dallas Cowboys] and the [Los Angeles] Chargers among other teams that would interest Payton should their jobs become open."

Payton, 58, led the Saints to a 152-89 record, nine playoff berths and a Super Bowl title in 15 seasons with the team (2006-11, 2013-21), earning a reputation as one of the most innovative offensive minds in the game and top head coaches, period.

Per Jackson's source, Payton is seeking "warm weather, a roster good enough to compete and most importantly, control over personnel decisions. Having a good quarterback would be helpful, but that isn’t the No. 1 or No. 2 factor, the associate insisted."

As for the teams rumored to be of interest to Payton, the Cowboys probably make the most sense (though insisting on having "control over personnel decisions" might clash with owner Jerry Jones' hands-on approach).

While Dallas reached the postseason with a 12-5 record under Mike McCarthy in his second season on the job, the team lost its only playoff game in the NFC Wild Card Round against the San Francisco 49ers and now has just three playoff wins since the turn of the century.

If the Cowboys—a team with plenty of talent and quarterback Dak Prescott in his prime—fail to go on a deep postseason run, it's fair to suggest that McCarthy might find himself on the hot seat.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, just hired former San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel as head coach. Things would have to go extremely poorly for him to lose his gig in the next year or two.

Brandon Staley's job status with the Chargers is interesting, meanwhile. After a 9-8 record last season that saw the team just miss the playoffs in his first year, it's hard to imagine Staley is on the hot seat.

But if the Chargers fail to reach the postseason again this year—a very real possibility, given that they are dealing with a loaded AFC West—the young head coach could quickly find himself on thin ice.

Considering the growth young superstar quarterback Justin Herbert has shown under Staley, it seems unlikely. But it's a situation worth monitoring, especially with a future Hall of Famer like Payton potentially waiting in the wings.