Drew Brees Confident Sean Payton Will Return To Saints In 2013

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees told reporters on Wednesday that he is confident that New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton would return to the team in 2013.

Payton is currently serving a full season suspension for his part in the Saints bounty program.

Last month, we reported that the NFL negated Payton’s Saints contract. A stipulation in that contract stated that the contract could be voided by Payton if the team’s manager Mickey Loomis was suspended. Following the bounty program, Loomis received a multiple game suspension.

Some analysts speculated that the Dallas Cowboys would release head coach Jason Garrett and attempt to lure Payton to the franchise. However, since those rumors began, the Cowboys have jumped into a three way time for first place in the NFC East.

Brees told reporters:

“Yeah, you know honestly, I haven’t really worried about that. It seems like there’s been enough going on here for us to focus on and really try not to think about that. I’m very confident that Sean will be back here in New Orleans. So (we’ve) just been trying to focus on football and not think about that.”

With Payton out as the New Orleans Saints head coach, the team has all but ended its playoff hopes, a steep slide from the teams run under Sean Payton’s leadership.

Without his head coach at the helm, Brees has still managed to lead the league with 4,335 passing yards but also lead the league with 18 interceptions.

When asked if the rumors had merit, Brees said:

“I think everybody is making a much bigger deal out of this than it needs to be. I know it’s a big topic and that kind of thing. We have enough motivation for why we want to win this game and everything else. Is it easy motivation that I know that Coach Payton is less than 20 miles away watching the game on TV as opposed to a couple 100 miles away? No.

The New Orleans Saints QB adds:

“I guess it doesn’t really make a difference to us; he’s always with us, even though we haven’t been able to talk to him or communicate with him. That’s been tough and that’s been difficult. It is what it is. We’ve just try to manage.”

With NFL bounty suspensions overturned and the Saints already looking ahead to next season, it’s likely that Brees and the Saints will be a very different team for the 2013-2014 season.

Sean Payton might not have a choice regarding his 2013 season. Because he was in the final year of his original terms, his contract could toll because of his missed year.