Sean Payton is said to be bullish on some of the aspects of working for the Denver Broncos.
One area where he was said to be not so bullish is now being refuted by Payton himself.
Thus far, the longtime Saints coach has taken interviews with the Panthers, Broncos, Texans and Cardinals. The Panthers found their guy in Frank Reich, agreeing to terms with him Thursday, but Payton is still in the running for the Denver, Houston and Arizona gigs -- though he doesn't have a second interview scheduled with any.
Washington Post NFL insider Mark Maske reported Thursday afternoon that there was an “issue” with Payton’s interview with the Broncos. Maske indicated that while Payton likes the thought of coaching Russell Wilson and Denver’s defense, he “fears” there could be a power struggle with a member of that Broncos ownership group.
Maske didn’t name which member of the the Walter-Penner Family Ownership Group the fear was centered around. However, he made specific mention in a separate tweet that Payton “loved” interacting with Condoleezza Rice, who is part of the ownership group.
When Payton caught wind of the report of an issue, he shot it down emphatically.
It’s unclear where the interest in Payton stands from the Broncos standpoint, but because he’s under contract with the Saints, it would require a trade to add him.
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