There aren't many people who know what it's like to take over the New Orleans Saints when they're in a bad way and be asked to pull them out of it. But one of them is Sean Payton. These days he's coaching the Denver Broncos, but Payton's many years of experience heading the Saints has made him a lightning rod for commentary given everything going on with his old team.
Payton spoke with the media at the annual NFL owners meetings in Palm Beach, Fla., and while he's aware of the challenges Moore faces he's also optimistic about Moore's ability to overcome them and get the Saints back to winning football games.
“I’m super close to those people," Payton said, pointing to his long-standing relationships with general manager Mickey Loomis and team owner Gayle Benson. "I saw a handful of them this past week. They’re looking to win, so there are some similarities. We’re all, to some degree as new coaches, not considered long shots, but just unknowns. Analytically if you looked at it, there’d probably be a hit rate — I don’t know what the percentage is, but it’s difficult. Generally, you’re going somewhere where it’s broken, and you’ve got to fix it quickly. I think Kellen has that calmness about him.
"I think there’s a uniqueness to that city that maybe is not for everyone, but I think he’ll do well there. I say that because of ownership, Mrs. Benson and because of the front office with those pieces in place that I was very familiar with. Those are the reasons you can have impossible jobs or good jobs. I think in this case, he’s got a good job,” Payton finished.
Payton gave Dennis Allen a strong endorsement for the head coaching job when he stepped down in New Orleans, but Allen struggled to keep his head above water in 2022 (finishing with a 7-10 record) and 2023 (improving to 9-8, but still missing the playoffs) before the team sunk like a stone in 2024. He was fired after their 2-7 start to a season which ended with a 5-12 record, their worst finish since before Payton himself was hired.
So all that's said to say, yes, Payton is right to characterize the situation Moore inherited as "somewhere where it’s broken, and you’ve got to fix it quickly." And as he said, Moore may have the right mix of confidence and steadiness to guide the Saints through this storm. Their moves this offseason indicate they'll keep trying to win the NFC South. It's on Moore to prove he's the coach who can get that done.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Sean Payton sees much-needed 'calmness' in Saints coach Kellen Moore