Sean Payton Texted Devonta Freeman to Apologize for Choke Gesture

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton said he sent a text message to Devonta Freeman to apologize for a choking gesture he made toward the Atlanta Falcons running back during the teams' Week 14 game.

On Wednesday, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com passed along Payton's comments ahead of Sunday's rematch between the NFC South rivals:

"Listen, the mistake I made that night was letting, obviously, my emotions get the best of me. It's the same thing we talk about with our players all the time. And it wasn't good. I felt like, man, as that game went on, it even affected me just in calling plays.

"I've got to be better that way. It was really more a frustration from some of the officiating. But you learn, even when you've been in this thing as long as I have. It's something that you regret. And you just look back on it and think, 'What are you doing?'"

Payton originally replied, "I don't remember that," when asked about the situation following the Saints' 20-17 loss in Atlanta two weeks ago.

The 53-year-old coach said Wednesday the issue "bugged me for the better part of a week" and explained why he reached out to Freeman via text.

"I've got a ton of respect for him and the competitor he is," Payton said. "Those guys that we line up with, they're in our division. They're rivals. And yet there's a great deal of respect, I think, among the players."

Meanwhile, Freeman told McClure he's prepared to move on from the incident and won't avoid Payton should an opportunity arise Sunday.

"I'll talk to him," he said. "I don't take it personal at all. He's a competitor. He's just a top competitor. He loves his job. He's real passionate about it."

It's a crucial rematch for both teams as they try to earn playoff berths.

The Saints (10-4) lead the NFC South, but the Carolina Panthers (10-4) and reigning NFC champion Falcons (9-5), who currently hold the conference's two wild-card spots, can still wrestle the division title away with two games left in the regular season.