Cowboys owner Jerry Jones: 'I haven't talked to' Sean Payton since Saints departure

The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints have been unofficially linked throughout the final full week of January going back to last weekend. That's when reports first emerged that Sean Payton was seriously considering stepping down as Saints head coach and taking a leave of absence from his career. Payton confirmed his departure on Tuesday and later told "The Dan Patrick Show" he doesn't think he's finished coaching entirely but also that accepting such a job is not his "path right now." 

Meanwhile, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones refused to verbally commit to keeping Mike McCarthy as his head coach last week, which became all the more interesting on Tuesday considering Payton's resume and the fact that the 58-year-old spent three years working for the Cowboys back in the first half of the 2000s. However, it was reported Thursday that McCarthy was safe in his role, and Jones confirmed that news Friday during an appearance on local radio station 105.3 The Fan. 

Payton's name did come up during that discussion. 

"He's well aware of our relationship and long-term friendship with Payton," Jones said of McCarthy, according to Todd Archer of ESPN. "I haven't talked to Sean. I'm not part of any dialogue or any decision-making relative to him leaving New Orleans. My point is, we had our heads down, getting this staff in shape, particularly at the top, the coordinator level."

Payton's contract with the Saints runs through 2024, meaning Jones or any other would-be suitors must contact the coach's former employer about potentially acquiring him down the road, per NFL rules. Jones could revisit the topic if he's unhappy with McCarthy as soon as next fall, but those thinking the Cowboys would trade for Payton before the new league year opens in March were incorrect.