Sean Payton spoke for 92 minutes in his retirement press conference, thanking everyone who could think of him as his time as the Saints head coach came to an end.
But he had one more thank-you to deliver on Sunday, by way of a full-page ad in the Sunday edition of the Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate.
Can't see the embed below? Click here.
"THANK YOU. New Orleans has been a great ride," read the message. "See you on the neutral ground."
Payton announced his retirement from the Saints on Tuesday after 16 seasons with the team, a decision that had been rumored about for weeks but one that came as a bit of a shock nonetheless. It comes just one season removed from Drew Brees' retirement, with the legendary quarterback also purchasing a full-page advertisement to send a message to his beloved city.
Despite a late start, the Saints are now fully into a coaching search, but face competition from a handful of other teams who have been into the search for their next leader for weeks, and with multiple teams already making hires after firing their coaches after the 2021 season. The Saints have already been linked to former Dolphins coach Brian Flores, Bucs OC Byron Leftwich, Lions DC (and former Saints assistant Aaron Glenn), as well as in-house candidates such as Dennis Allen and Kris Richard.
Saints GM Mickey Loomis is yet to speak to Payton's retirement, but indicated that would come when he speaks at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama this week.
