Payton says he’ll return to Saints.
Saints coach Sean Payton said Monday night during a radio interview that he plans to be back with New Orleans next season and to honor his contract, which runs through 2020.
Payton’s statement came hours after he gruffly declined to address what he viewed as baseless rumors and speculation about a possible departure following a third straight 7-9 season.
Payton added in an interview with host and former Saints quarterback
Bobby Hebert that he “absolutely” has no interest in coaching elsewhere.
Earlier Monday, while on an end-of-season conference call with New Orleans media, Payton stopped short of offering assurances about his future in New Orleans, but insinuated his expectations of returning when he asserted some recent published reports about him contained factual errors.
He went on to emphasize that the reason he often allows speculation to fester is because he does not want to dignify with responses those reports he views as incorrect and based on unaccountable, unnamed sources.
“We’re not going to address rumors,” Payton said, a day after a seasonending 38-32 loss at Atlanta. “If we answered those every time, it would be silly.”
Payton took issue in particular with reports he met with general manager Mickey Loomis after Sunday’s season finale to discuss the coach’s future with the club, calling them “completely false.”
Payton did wind up acknowledging that he met with Loomis.
Bills owner speaks
out: Buffalo Bills owner
Terry Pegula has full confidence in general manager Doug Whaley’s ability to turn around his franchise, and outlined the reasons coach Rex Ryan was fired.
Pegula says he’s disappointed in having to change coaches after only two years, but says he had no other choice to fire Ryan after the Bills defense showed few signs of progress during the season.
“None of us are happy with the season,” Pegula said.
Pegula backed up Whaley’s comments in his first interview since Ryan was fired on Dec. 27 and replaced by Anthony Lynn, who took over as interim coach.
Pegula said he made what he called “an executive
decision” to fire Ryan.
Peterson wants to return: Running back Adrian Peterson declared himself fit to play several more seasons in the National Football League, even if that’s elsewhere from Minnesota.
The 31-year-old Peterson finished with only 72 yards on 37 rushes over three games, a torn meniscus in his right knee responsible for an abbreviated 10th season with the Vikings that might well have been his last.
Peterson returned for the Dec. 18 game against Indianapolis only to be sidelined again the last two weeks after aggravating his knee. Carrying an $18 million salary cap hit on his contract for 2017, Peterson is uncertain to come back at his age with the team’s other needs. He said he’d consider a reduced salary to return to the Vikings.