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Sean Payton made major headlines during the 2022 NFL offseason when he shockingly decided to retire from coaching. It was a move that many around the NFL didn't see coming as he was widely considered one of the best head coaches in the league.
However, Sean Payton recently admitted that he's open to making a return for the 2023-24 NFL season. If he is in fact ready to make a comeback, here are three NFL teams who should aggressively pursue Payton to become their next head coach.
#3 - Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos hired first-time head coach Nathaniel Hackett prior to the start of the 2022-23 NFL season. While two games is an extremely small sample size to judge overall performance, early returns haven't been encouraging. Hackett has often made questionable decisions, including mismanaging timeouts and being indecisive in pivotal moments of games.
The Broncos have committed a massive amount of money and salary cap space to superstar quarterback Russell Wilson. They acquired him via trade during the 2022 offseason and rewarded him with a brand new contract extension. Landing Sean Payton would give them a proven head coach to help make sure they aren't wasting their investment in Wilson.
#2 - Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Jones has been vocal in recent years about his strong desire to win another Super Bowl ring. He believes the roster is good enough right now to do so. Additionally, he didn't hesitate to express his disappointment at the Dallas Cowboys' early exit from the playoffs during the 2021-22 NFL postseason.
If the Cowboys fail to make a deeper postseason run following the 2022-23 NFL season, head coach Mike McCarthy could potentially be in the hot seat. Sean Payton is already familiar with the organization as he served as an assistant coach for the Cowboys prior to becoming the head coach of the Saints.
#1 - Carolina Panthers as the most likely suitor for Sean Payton
Matt Rhule hasn't been performing well for the Carolina Panthers since taking over as the head coach prior to the start of the 2020-21 NFL season. He posted just a 10-25 record through his first 35 games in the NFL and appeared to be in the hot seat entering the 2022-23 season.
If things don't drastically improve for Rhule this year, it seems likely he will lose his job as the head coach. Owner David Tepper has proven to be aggressive in acquiring players in an attempt to improve the Panthers roster, so he may take the same approach with his head coach. Sean Payton is an option for the Panthers if they decide to make a change, and likely the best option available.
