Saints' Sean Payton on Finally Winning PI Challenge: 'There's My Birthday Gift'

Happy birthday, Sean Payton. Here's your pass interference.  

"That's like a hard eight in Vegas, huh?," Payton said when asked about winning a pass interference challenge during Sunday's 42-10 win over the Carolina Panthers, per Katherine Terrell of The Athletic. "Right? That was nice. I thought it was the right [call]. I was appreciative of it. There's my birthday gift."

The New Orleans Saints head coach turned 56 years old Sunday and was rewarded with a pass interference call when he challenged that Panthers cornerback James Bradberry had interfered with receiver Michael Thomas in the end zone.

Mike Triplett of ESPN noted Payton was 0-for-2 on replay challenges entering play.

Of course, he would surely trade the whistle he received Sunday for one in last season's NFC Championship Game when Los Angeles Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman hit Tommylee Lewis late in the contest and was not flagged. A pass interference then likely would have helped set up a Super Bowl trip for the Saints.

The play also served as the backdrop for the discussion to allow pass interference reviews this season.