Dolphins Prepared a $100 million offer for Sean Payton, according to a report

Prior to this summer, it was alleged that former Saints coach Sean Payton received an offer from another NFC team that would have kept him in the NFL coaching ranks until 2022.

The Dolphins reportedly made Sean Payton an offer of $100 million over five years to take over in Miami, according to Dave Hyde of the Sun-Sentinel. With the deal, Payton would have joined Jon Gruden, who in 2018 inked a 10-year, $100 million contract with the Raiders, as the only coach in league history to exceed the $100 million mark.

Nevertheless, Hyde claims that Payton would have made almost $20 million annually, quadrupling Gruden’s yearly compensation.

The newest noteworthy tidbit of information regarding the Dolphins’ purported offseason pursuit of Payton and Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is the alleged offer. In February, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk reported that immediately after Payton announced his retirement, Miami requested permission to talk with him. The request was apparently rejected by the Saints.

When questioned about the claims during the April Zurich Classic celebrity shootout, Payton dismissed the speculations concerning his relationship to the Dolphins. He did concede, though, that he was aware of the request for an interview.

According to Florio, Payton stated, “I have no knowledge about the Tampa Bay, Miami Dolphin, or Tom Brady stories.” According to what I understand, a request was made or representatives spoke. Like all of you, I am. That anecdote was told to me.

Payton stated in the same interview that the Saints would have been his preferred team to coach in 2022.

“I would have remained in New Orleans if I had been prepared to coach like this year,” he declared. “Well, that’s about it. It’s wonderful to have someone interested. Observe, we have been defeating Tom Brady rather than supporting him.

Earlier this week, Brady had the opportunity to put a stop to the conjecture about what could have happened in Miami. The quarterback for the Bucs, who took a temporary hiatus this offseason, responded to a query about maybe joining the Dolphins in any capacity in a roundabout way.

“As I’ve done for the last three or four years of my career, I’ve talked to a number of people about various prospects for when I finish playing football. I think I’ve decided what I want to do,” Brady remarked. “I’ll get to watch the football game… What matters most is where I am right now and what I want to do for this team. I’ve committed to this team and this company in that way.”

In the end, Miami lost out on coaches and players. In his 23rd NFL season, Brady is back with the Buccaneers, where he intends to pursue his eighth Super Bowl ring.

Payton, however, is en route to the broadcast booth. Florio reports that the former Saints coach will join the Fox Sports broadcast crew for the 2022 campaign.In the weeks when Jimmie Johnson is absent from Fox’s NFL Sunday team, Payton is expected to step in for Johnson.