Sources say Sean Payton is Oakland's new head coach

[JAG]

I'm actually a little surprised by this. I expected Al Davis to interview the Patriots' coordinators following the Super Bowl.

hxxp://www.cowboysplus.com/topstorync/stories/012104cppayton.35bdd4e8.html

Top Story
Sources: Payton will be Oakland head coach

05:18 PM CST on Tuesday, January 20, 2004

By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News


According to two sources, Cowboys assistant head coach Sean Payton has agreed to become Oakland's next head coach. Payton is expected to sign a four-year deal worth approximately $1.3 million a year. He spent Sunday and Monday and interviewing with Raiders owner Al Davis for a second time. He concluded the first roudn of interviews Jan. 12.

Payton, 40, worked with former Oakland coach Jon Gruden, one of his biggest coaching influences, and former Oakland coach Bill Callahan in Philadelphia during the 1997 and '98 seasons as the Eagles' quarterback coach. His coaching star began to rise when he became the New York Giants' offensive coordinator in 1999 and helped turn around quarterback Kerry Collins' career.

Payton was stripped of play-calling duties by then-Giants coach Jim Fassel in 2002 and joined Parcells' staff last season.

He was credited with helping quarterback Quincy Carter to his best season. Carter started all 16 games and threw for 3,302 yards with 17 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.

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[Draft Dodger]

perhaps the worst coaching hire of this offseason

[astralhaze]

Well, it is Al Davis after all.

[Franklinnoble]

Is this a surprise to anyone? Until Al Davis dies, the Raiders will never hire a solid coach - they'll just keep promoting unheard-of nobodies, and maybe they'll get lucky and trip over a Jon Gruden every now and then, but Davis' ego will prevent him from sticking around long.

Which is fine by me, because I hate the Raiders. :D

[korme]

hahahahahahah sean payton

[JeeberD]

Been nice knowing you, Seanny Boy...

[BishopMVP]

He was credited with helping quarterback Quincy Carter to his best season. Carter started all 16 games and threw for 3,302 yards with 17 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.
Too bad the QOTM is no longer here.

[BigJohn&TheLions]

Wow. And to think, Al used to know what he was doing...

[miami_fan]

Who is going to do the play calling? Jim Fassel?

[ISiddiqui]

Maybe I'm missing something but why is this so horrible? I mean Payton was the reason Kerry Collins was even considered a good QB, and he gave Quincy Carter his best season ever. The guy does wonders with QBs, who's to say he can't be a good HC? And remember John Madden and John Gruden were no body assistants as well.

[astralhaze]

He's not a nobody assistant, he is a bad assistant.

[Vince]

Wonders with QBs? I know Q Carter isn't much to work with, but I'd hardly call his 'best season' last year as doing wonders with QBs.

[sabotai]

He's not a nobody assistant, he is a bad assistant.

The Cowboys make it to the playoffs, Bill Parcells is touted as one of the best coaches ever because he turned that yearly loser team into a playoff team, yet Sean Payton, who is the assistent head coach of the Cowboys, is a bad assistent?

Wonders with QBs? I know Q Carter isn't much to work with, but I'd hardly call his 'best season' last year as doing wonders with QBs.

And Kerry Collins was a nobody QB who had spent half a season as the QB for the Saints before Payton turned him around. Now many people see Collins as a damn good QB.

[corbes]

Didn't Payton get stripped of his playcalling duties by Jim Fassel? Like two years ago? I guess he got smart since then.

[Ksyrup]

And Kerry Collins was a nobody QB who had spent half a season as the QB for the Saints before Payton turned him around. Now many people see Collins as a damn good QB.
Which I've never understood. Collins had a good second year as a pro, then his "issues" began, and it took him a few years to get back to what he had shown himself to be in that one year with Carolina. In terms of QB rating, Collins has only surpassed that second year (79.4) twice (83.1 and 85.4), and neither of those ratings are remarkably better than his high-water mark with Carolina. He's not all that good, and this guy really hasn't developed him beyond what he gave a glimpse of in 1996.

[Danny]

Not a bad hiring or a good hiring at this point. He obviously did something right last year to help turn the Cowboys around and he got Parcells' support. He is an unknown as a head coach, so no telling how good he will do at this point. A lot will depend on the staff he brings in.

Of course, people love to bash the Raiders and Al Davis every opportunity they get, so if it makes you feel better, bash on.

[cthomer5000]

2 years ago, Payton was a "hot" coordinator and did interview for 1 or 2 head coaching positions. At that point, he was considered one of the bright young minds of the NFL. The following year, the Giants hit a downturn, Fassell takes over play calling... and Payton rides out the string before leaving. He seemed to have a good year with Dallas this year. I mean, he made Carter look functional, which I imagine is about as good as it gets. There's also no doubt Kerry Collins career had a complete rebirth under him in New York.

Pretty much what I expected from the Raiders. Davis got a guy who appears to be a good head coach prospect, but got him at a time when the guy isn't exactly a hot commodity. It should mean that the Raiders get a good coach, and definitely ensures that Davis will still be able to muscle him around and stick his nose into nearly every aspect of the team.

[Ksyrup]

There's also no doubt Kerry Collins career had a complete rebirth under him in New York.
In terms of getting over his alcohol problem and finding a steady job, I agree. I still fail to see how this guy elevated his level of performance over what he did - sober - in just his second year as a pro. He was just as efficient (or inefficient) over the past 4 years as he was with Carolina (again, factoring in the alcohol issues), except he had a starting job and threw more passes. I wouldn't let quantity override qualilty.

He's a competent QB, but he's no star (I forgot, he plays in NY...). And Payton doesn't appear, in my mind, to have broken any new ground with him.

[Abe Sargent]

In terms of getting over his alcohol problem and finding a steady job, I agree. I still fail to see how this guy elevated his level of performance over what he did - sober - in just his second year as a pro. He was just as efficient (or inefficient) over the past 4 years as he was with Carolina (again, factoring in the alcohol issues), except he had a starting job and threw more passes. I wouldn't let quantity override qualilty.

He's a competent QB, but he's no star (I forgot, he plays in NY...). And Payton doesn't appear, in my mind, to have broken any new ground with him.


He's just talking about Kerry's career, which was massively on the downslope - not even the Saints were keeping him. Not his stats or his previous stuff, just his career.

-Anxiety

[Ksyrup]

He's just talking about Kerry's career, which was massively on the downslope - not even the Saints were keeping him. Not his stats or his previous stuff, just his career.

-Anxiety
OK, if he turned the guy's life around, then make him a camp counselor. But what's that got to do with whether he's qualified to be a head football coach? As OC, I would think what he did to improve Kerry Collins as a football player would be relevant, not that he played "Dr. Phil" with him. And the evidence suggests he wasn't the miracle worker with Kerry Collins the Football Player that everyone seems to think he was.

[rkmsuf]

OK, if he turned the guy's life around, then make him a camp counselor. But what's that got to do with whether he's qualified to be a head football coach? As OC, I would think what he did to improve Kerry Collins as a football player would be relevant, not that he played "Dr. Phil" with him. And the evidence suggests he wasn't the miracle worker with Kerry Collins the Football Player that everyone seems to think he was.

I wouldn't exactly say he worked wonders with the Dallas offense either. Granted they had a lack of weapons but I can't say he got them to overachieve. They achieved right to their talent.

I guess it's an ok move in the sense that roster is set to be overhauled. He can grow with the roster and an influx of younger talent...

[jaeenox]

Perhaps, Mr. Payton learned something last year working for the man many consider the best coach of the modern era? Just a thought.

[SegRat]

Well looks as if the Raiders still need a coach.

http://cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/story/7024714

[Ksyrup]

This is getting comical...even for non-Broncos fans.

[judicial clerk]

Al obviously has his problems, but I think he has a good eye for coaching talent.

John Madden, Jon Gruden, and Mike Shanahan are all considered first rate coaches. Tom Flores achieved a level of success enjoyed by few other coaches in the history of the NFL. I believe Art Shell put up respectable won-loss numbers and fielded competiive teams despite facing tough competition from the Broncos and Chiefs. Obvoiusly Joe Bugel and Mike White did not work out, but overall, I am comfortable with Davis' talent evaluation skills..

[Mo.Raider]

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/7757743.htm

I am not happy with this hire, but this writer takes it to a new level of bashing. This has to be one of the poorest articles ever written. It sounds as if it was written while he was still fuming over the hire, which has not been confirmed yet. I don't know much about the author, but it sounds as if he is saying that the only coach who will work out in Oakland must be African-American, over six feet tall and played qb for a major college. Who cares what he knows about x's and O's. He even mentions Callahan being Irish... what? Let the best man win. Working towards breaking barriers is one thing, but this writer is over the top.

[SteelerFan448]

Yep, the Raiders are still without a coach.