"Man I'm all outta tears!" - Sean Payton touched by emotional tribute from Saints players

It has been an emotional week for Sean Payton. A month ago, Payton was coaching his tail off, willing the Drew Brees- and Jameis Winston-less Saints to the top of the hunt for the postseason. Today, he is no longer a football coach. When a coach has spent such a large part of his life doing something, separation comes with emotion.

Payton delivered an emotional press conference earlier this week and gave the media as much time to ask him about anything they wanted as a final gesture of goodwill. While he was giving well wishes to Saints fans, players, and staff, he may not have expected the players to reciprocate as much as they did. However, that is what he got.

The official Twitter page of the New Orleans Saints posted a video containing tributes to the coach from the players. Linebacker Demario Davis, punter Thomas Morstead (who was with the Saints from 2009-2020) and other former and current players appear in the video, thanking the head coach for his remarkable mentorship.

The former head coach commented on the video, giving an emotional response that was tangible through the keyboard.

"Man I'm all outta tears! It's 5:07 pm still sitting in this office on Airline Dr. Watching last week's games on all 22. Just said a qk prayer thanking God for these relationships. I am humbled and grateful for being a part of this ride. You all are my heroes," Payton wrote.

What's next for the New Orleans Saints without Sean Payton?

Mickey Loomis at Wild Card Round - Minnesota Vikings v New Orleans Saints

The Saints were reeling from the loss of Drew Brees last season and were dealt another crippling blow after the loss of Sean Payton. Put simply, the team will look completely different in 2022. Compared to 2020, the team will be unrecognizable.

According to Over The Cap, the team is a whopping $75 million over budget. This, coupled with the loss of Brees and Payton, could give the Saints an incentive to rebuild the organization from the top down. Meaning, several big players could be on the move, many could have their contracts reworked, and above all, expectations will be reset to zero.

To say the least, general manager Mickey Loomis has a massive job ahead of him. The enormous hole the Saints are in could be enough to eventually land Loomis out of a job. However, he will have a decent leash to fix the potential five-year rebuild. Will he see the end of it?

The Denver Broncos found themselves in a similar situation back in 2016-2017. They lost their head coach and their quarterback in back-to-back seasons after an all-in gamble. That, combined with some tough contracts and core players retiring, sank the team for the following seasons. To this day, the Broncos have not made the postseason since Peyton Manning's retirement after the 2015 season.

If the Saints can get back to the post-season by 2025, it would be a massive accomplishment. However, in a win-now league, a lack of substantial improvement between now and then could end Mickey Loomis' time in New Orleans.