The 58-year-old Payton assumed leadership of New Orleans in 2006, a few months after Hurricane Katrina decimated the city.
In the 2009 season, he orchestrated an incredible comeback that saw a losing team win the Super Bowl.
The Saints had a 9-8 winning season after veteran quarterback Drew Brees retired, but they just missed out on the playoffs this year.
Payton did not completely rule out going back to coaching during a tearful news conference.
He seemed to hold back tears as he remarked, “I still have a vision for doing things in football and that might be coaching again at some point in the future,” but it wasn’t where his heart was at the moment.
The 58-year-old expressed his gratitude to Brees and mentioned that they had discussed the choice the night before.
In addition, he expressed gratitude to the media, with whom he has had ups and downs ever since the ‘Bountygate’ affair, which resulted in his suspension for the 2012 season and accusations that he had rewarded his players for hurting opponents.
“When you come in as a young coach you make a lot of mistakes,” he stated. “Hopefully in my latter years you have found me very open and eager to please – that’s what the jelly and ice cream is for every Christmas.”
Before he took over, the Saints finished the previous season 3-13 and had never made it to the Super Bowl. The Saints’ home stadium, the Superdome, served as a shelter after Hurricane Katrina, and their Super Bowl triumph a few years later was perceived as helping to alleviate some of the traumas from the catastrophe.
“On behalf of our entire organization, I have the highest appreciation for what Sean Payton has meant to the New Orleans Saints since 2006,” Gayle Benson, the owner of the Saints, said.
“After Hurricane Katrina, Sean visited New Orleans at a challenging moment not only for our organization but also for the entire region.”
“Under his leadership, Sean helped lead this football team to new heights with easily its most successful period, showing what can be accomplished with a combination of vision, hard work, and leadership of his coaching staff and players.”
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