Today, Payton, in his fourth season as head coach, will be pacing the sidelines as his Saints take on the Indianapolis Colts for the biggest prize in the NFL.
Defensive end Will Smith has no doubt that his coach has been the key factor in turning around the Saints.
Smith told reporters: “He’s meant a lot. When Sean came in he cleaned house a little bit. He kept the guys that he thought really wanted to be there and wanted to play. He’s brought on a lot of terrific guys, not only great players but great people.
“He always talked about changing the culture, working hard and doing all of the little things that we hadn’t done in the past when we hadn’t had any success.”
Smith added: “The first year he got here we went to the NFC championship game and fell short, but after that everybody knew where he stood and how much he loved the players, the city of New Orleans and being part of the organization. From that point, guys felt his energy.”
Payton, 46, is not the kind of NFL coach who stands expressionless behind a clipboard while the action unveils in front of him – he is animated throughout, showing his frustration and his joy.
GAME DAY
Smith said: “He is kind of calm and relaxed when you see him (off the field), but when it gets to game day, he feels like he is one of the players. He is fiery, yelling, shouting and ranting, and you know his heart is really in the game. He really wants to see everybody do well.”
Payton, whose career included two years working as an assistant at the Dallas Cowboys to two-times Super Bowl winner Bill Parcells, feels there was no conscious decision to be so visibly involved in the game.
He said: “You don’t know until you’re a head coach how you’re going to handle it. There are certain times where maybe you’re more engaged than others. It just depends on the game. It can vary.”
Perhaps it is because Payton failed to make the grade as a player that he seems to live every minute of the game.
“I would call him a players’ coach,” said Smith. “Sometimes he thinks he’s a player, even though he really never had a chance to play.
“He thinks that he is the quarterback out there a lot of times…he loves being around the players, he loves to interact, but at the same time, he keeps that distance as the head coach and has to operate everything around him.”
Payton is not keen on such a description though.
“The whole players’ coach thing, I cringe a little bit,” he said. “I think it’s important that you’re demanding. I think it’s important that you’re fair. I think you don’t want to settle for anything less than exactly what you’re looking for.
“It’s not our job to be the players’ friend. It’s our job to teach and motivate, give them a plan to be successful and make tough decisions.”
The plan is working so far.
