Sean Payton shocked many people when he stepped down as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints last month, but NFL fans could still be seeing plenty of him in 2022.
Payton is in negotiations with FOX Sports to potentially become the network’s No. 1 game NFL game analyst, Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports reports. The plan would be for the 58-year-old to take over for Troy Aikman and call games alongside Joe Buck.
FOX will broadcast two of the next three Super Bowls, so Payton could immediately take on a massive role within the NFL broadcasting landscape if he and FOX reach a deal. Payton is expected to make somewhere around $10 million per year if the deal is finalized, according to McCarthy.
Aikman is leaving FOX to join ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.” He was pursued by Amazon as well, but ESPN won the bidding war with what is reportedly a massive contract.
McCarthy first reported a month ago that FOX could pursue Payton as a replacement for Aikman. The longtime coach said at the time that he had not spoken with any networks but hinted that career path would interest him.
Greg Olsen is also expected to receive consideration for Aikman’s old job, but he could also be pursued by Amazon. There have been other candidates mentioned as potential Aikman replacements as well.
Payton’s lack of experience could be a concern for FOX, but he’s a huge name. Giving him a shot alongside Buck would be worth the risk.
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