Former Saints head coach Sean Payton played quarterback in college, but on Tuesday night he flashed the hands of a wide receiver.
Payton was sat courtside for the Mavericks-Pelicans game in New Orleans, and he calmly reeled in an errant pass from Dallas guard Spencer Dinwiddie after it slipped through the fingertips of Dorian Finney-Smith.
The random scene caught the attention of TNT announcers Ian Eagle and Stan Van Gundy.
"Oh, Sean Payton taking it in," Eagle said. "Did that hit Sean Payton?"
"Well, I hope it caught him if it came to him," Van Gundy replied.
"Oh yeah, he did," Eagle said upon reviewing the play from a different camera angle.
Payton has been spotted at Smoothie King Center previously, including during last season's Suns-Pelicans playoff series.
In his first year following a 16-season run with the Saints, the 58-year-old has been working as a studio analyst on FOX NFL Sunday.
Payton's long-term future remains unclear, with many fans and journalists speculating that he will return to coaching football at some point.
Earlier this year, the NFL found that Payton had engaged in talks with the Dolphins to become their next head coach while still under contract with the Saints, which led to Miami owner Stephen Ross being fined and suspended for violation of league tampering rules.
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