Suspended Saints coach Sean Payton “absolutely plans” to coach the team in 2013. The Saints absolutely expect to have him back.
That’s the word of the moment in New Orleans, based on the comment provided by G.M. Mickey Loomis to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “I absolutely expect Sean to be our coach next year and going forward,” Loomis said. “These contract issues will be resolved.”
Interim coach Joe Vitt was more colorful when he addressed on Tuesday the speculation that Payton could become a free agent.
“I don’t know the speculation you‘re all talking about,” Vitt said. “I really don’t. I said this before, and some of you think I am glued to the TV getting all of these updates, these accurate updates that come across the wire all the time. Everything we see I know is fact. I haven’t heard the report. I haven’t seen the report. I have only heard speculation of what the report is. I want to say this again so hopefully I am not asked about this question again. Our football team loves Sean Payton. Sean Payton loves this football team. Sean Payton loves this city and this city loves Sean Payton. That goes a long way. That’s what I know. I don’t understand anything about a contract being voided, who made the report, where did the report come from, is there accuracy in the report or are we just selling ratings.”
Of course, the comment from Loomis validates the notion that there’s a contract issue to be resolved. And the sooner it gets resolved, the better off the Saints will be.