Sean Payton could soon be making his return to football -- in the announcers' booth, that is.
The former longtime Saints head coach is reportedly in talks with FOX Sports to become the network's lead analyst, according to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports.
The 58-year-old Payton would be taking over for former Cowboys star Troy Aikman, who is widely reported to be leaving the FOX booth to join ESPN's coverage of the iconic "Monday Night Football."
A prospective deal with FOX would likely pay Payton somewhere around $10 million, the report said, and would thrust him into the spotlight relatively quickly, with FOX scheduled to broadcast two of the next three Super Bowls.
Payton stepped down from the Saints in January, after 15 seasons at the helm.
He went 152-89 (.631 winning percentage) in the regular season and won Super Bowl XLIV with the Saints, but seemed to be seeking a break or a fresh start after going 9-8 in his first season without franchise legend Drew Brees, who retired after the 2020 campaign.
With Payton having little known broadcasting experience, a source told McCarthy that the longtime coach could sign a one-year deal in what would essentially be considered a tryout.
“I think [Fox] takes a one-year risk on Sean Payton – and sees how it goes,” said one source familiar with the network’s strategy. “If it goes well, maybe they ante up, and keep him long-term. If it doesn’t, then Sean Payton returns to coaching.”
The source also speculated that Payton will eventually end up coaching the Dallas Cowboys, if and when they move on from current head coach Mike McCarthy. Payton was an assistant in Dallas under Bill Parcells, and is said to have a cozy relationship with team owner Jerry Jones.
The NFL's broadcast partners have seen some shakeup with respect to their on-air talent so far this offseason, with more expected to come.
Amazon, which broadcasts Thursday Night Football, is seeking both a play-by-play announcer and an analyst. The streaming giant was said to be strongly interested in signing the legendary Al Michaels, who is a free agent after his contract with NBC Sports expired.
FOX meanwhile may be seeking a new announcer in addition to an analyst if Aikman's departure prompts longtime play-by-play man Joe Buck to leave, as has been speculated. NBC is also seeking an announcer to pair with lead analyst Cris Collinsworth, who recently re-signed.
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