Sean Payton doesn't think he's 'finished coaching' but won't take jobs 'right now'

The somewhat surprising news confirmed on Tuesday that head coach Sean Payton was stepping away from the New Orleans Saints included verification that he was leaving coaching for at least a period of time and hadn't yet even spoken with "anyone from a media outlet relative to doing television or radio" despite rumors linking him with multiple networks. 

Some skeptics immediately assumed it's only a matter of time before Payton is back on the sidelines, and it appears at least some within the NFL felt similarly this week. 

According to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, Payton appeared on "The Dan Patrick Show" on Thursday and admitted a couple of teams had reached out "through back channels" to see if he may have interest in working for them as soon as this year. 

"I’m not looking at that path right now," Payton explained about such opportunities this winter. "I don’t think I’m finished coaching. But I was excited to get two or three calls from people in the TV industry."  

Heading into the final full weekend of January, Payton could not simply put pen to paper on a deal to coach another NFL team if his recent decision to leave New Orleans wasn't merely about needing a break from the job. His Saints contract was set to run through the 2024 season, meaning New Orleans would be owed compensation via a trade for the 58-year-old at any point down the road unless he returned to work for his now-former employer.