New Orleans Saints suspended head coach Sean Payton agrees on contract extension – NFL News
New Orleans Saints suspended head coach Sean Payton has agreed to sign a five-year contract extension.
On Friday it was disclosed by anonymous source from the organization that they have received permission from the National Football League (NFL) to extend Payton’s contract.
The contract was about to get signed in November, but the NFL found an inappropriate clause in it which said that if Saints’ general manager Mickey Loomis got suspended or leave the organization then ultimately Payton would also leave.
The NFL has now allowed Saints to extend the contract, while the changes made in the contract are yet unknown.
Payton got suspended for the entire 2012 season due to his involvement in the bounty scandal, which was started by Saints’ ex-defensive coordinator Gregg Williams in 2009.
Williams got suspended for indefinite period, Loomis was suspended for eight games and interim head coach Joe Vitt for six games of the season.
Payton is expected to return after the end of the season on February 3, 2013.
In 2006, Payton started his head coaching job with Saints, and signed Saints quarterback Drew Brees as their starting quarterback.
Payton and Brees came up with amazing season and turned the fortunes of Saints. The 2009 season was tremendous for Saints as they won the Super Bowl for the first time.
According to Brees, he could not think of Payton as the head coach of any other team instead of Saints.
Talking about Payton’s contract extension, he said:
"Very happy it is official. Never had any doubts."
Brees has performed well even in the absence of Payton. He has completed 393 of 627 passes for 4,781 yards and scored 39 touchdowns with 18 interceptions this season.
Saints started this season by losing four games in a row, when the team was left behind without the coach and general manager.
After the return of Vitt and Loomis, Saints got back in form and stabilised their position in National Football Conference (NFC) South.
They have won seven and lost eight games in the season, and they are standing at second position in the division.
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