OK, the truth is out: Playing Saints 'meant a lot' to Sean Payton

Leading up to the Denver Broncos‘ game against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football, coach Sean Payton admitted that there would be some emotions when facing his old team, but Payton said he was keeping his focus on just getting another win.

Broncos players downplayed it as “just another game.”

Clearly, that wasn’t true.

After a 33-10 win, Payton received a game ball from Denver’s ownership group and he got emotional while delivering his postgame speech. It was anything but just another game for Payton.

“It meant a lot,” Payton said in his postgame press conference when asked about getting a game ball. “There were a lot of moments here. You get to see a lot of old players that were here and to be with this team and this ownership group. It’s the reason that you miss it. The one year out. You miss relationships and making memories.

“It’s like I told them a couple of weeks ago. [Pat] Surtain’s interception right in front of our bench. There will be a time that I won’t remember his name and I’ll be having apple sauce out of a straw, but I’ll remember that play. That part about being around young people and having a chance to be a part of their journey and coach them is a pretty good job. I’m thankful for it. It was kind of emotional.”

The players knew what Thursday meant to Payton. They downplayed it leading up to the game, but it was a special night for the coach.

“It was awesome,” quarterback Bo Nix said. “The Saints mean a lot to him. He was there for a while (and) had amazing success. It’s tough to go back to a place where you called home for that long and you fought for, and now you are playing against. It was special. It was a great moment. I’m happy for him.

“I’m happy for everybody that has been a part of that organization for so long. There was a lot of guys that came over with him that we are just (as) happy about (the win). It was a good team win. Everybody contributed. Everybody was on their toes with a short week and came our prepared and ready to roll.”

Broncos tight end Adam Trautman is one of eight former Saints who now play for Payton in Denver.

“It meant a lot,” Trautman said. “It probably couldn’t have gone any better, to be honest. He talked about ‘next game,’ but, obviously everyone knew that it meant a little something to him and we wanted to win it because it is the ‘next game,’ but, we knew how special it was to him. There are 22 guys here from New Orleans. So, just doing it for everyone (was special). Getting to 4-3

was the goal.”

Broncos defensive lineman Malcolm Roach, another ex-Saint, said the game brought back a lot of memories and “meant a lot” for him.

Payton joined the Saints in 2006, one year after Hurricane Katrina. They immediately made the NFC Championship game in the coach’s first season and won a Super Bowl in his fourth season. Payton’s tenure in New Orleans was about more than just football.

“I think (about) what happened here and I’m going back to 2005 before any of us have arrived,” Payton said. “A lot changed with this city and more than any player and any coach from 2006 and on that it was bigger than football. There were schools and hospitals not opened. There were a lot of things up in the air.

“So you appreciate those people that came when they didn’t necessarily had to. That was a unique time. None of us were prepared for that. We were all anxious and excited about our new job opportunities, but none of us understood what it would mean and how big it would become. That part of it is different and kind of special.”

Because the Broncos and Saints play in separate conferences, they don’t meet often. Their last game before Thursday was back in 2020. After last night’s win, Payton was asked if it was the last time he’ll coach at the Caesars Superdome.

“I don’t think this is the last time that I am ever going to coach in this place,” Payton said, “[but] this was the last team I hadn’t beaten.”