Sean Payton Spotted at Chargers Game Leads to Heavy Speculation He Could Be Their Next Head Coach

Could Sean Payton be heading to city of Angels?

If Brandon Staley is out as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers following the 2022 season, the franchise could land one of the best coaches in football as his replacement. A longtime NFL personnel executive told Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post that he believes former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton “really wants” to coach Justin Herbert and the Chargers:

“[Dean] Spanos doesn’t like to pay his coaches, but once your quarterback starts making $50 million a year, you’re really going to be cheap about your head coach? Sean loves living in Southern California. You’ve got Herbert and some other blue chip players. That’s the fit.”

Payton, who is working for Fox Sports this season after stepping down as head coach of the Saints in January, said during an appearance on the NewOrleans Football podcast last month that he would be open to returning to an NFL sideline if the “right situation presented itself.”

Payton said, via ESPN:

“If the right situation presented itself, I would definitely be interested. And there’s no utopia, if you will, when it comes to teams, but if I felt like it was the right situation, I would have an interest in that. That all being said, that could come in a year, that could come in two years.”

Last night the former New Orleans Saints coach was spotted at the Chargers game, and of course Twitter went crazy.

See some tweets below:

Hope Sean Payton likes LA

— lindsey ok (@lindseyyok) October 18, 2022

Sean Payton gon fix Herbert for y’all don’t worry Chargers. We just need two 1st and Joey Bosa.

— Hot Take Tabor (@JT25Saints) October 18, 2022

GG’s charg- wait is that Sean Payton at the Chargers game? Brandon Staley on the hot seat? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/s88TefSuoK

— MAYZ (@Mayzomatic) October 18, 2022

Sean Payton spotted at the Chargers game 👀 pic.twitter.com/yb42g4DSpl

— Brenden Ertle (@BrendenErtle) October 18, 2022

Sean Payton is on the way. https://t.co/9NobA2qkzF

— Chris Rosvoglou (@RosvoglouReport) October 18, 2022

I believe Sean Payton will be the next head coach of the Chargers. And the way things are going with the #Saints Dennis Allen may be his defensive Coordinator Pete Carmichael his offensive coordinator, and Jeff Ireland the GM. Just a theory.

— TJAY Jones (@tjayjones8) October 18, 2022

SEAN PAYTON sending a silent shot at Staley 😂😂😂 he better get right https://t.co/DClmsrNsCs

— Domo ⚡️ (@Guap__2x) October 18, 2022

Y'all. Why was Sean Payton at the game?! He isn't even trying to hide his thirst anymore. https://t.co/39cPXGKwWl

— Little Miss 49-0 (@thekelssimone) October 18, 2022

Sean Payton as the Chargers head coach next year is going to be chills

— DaWindyCity Productions (@dwcprodz) October 18, 2022

I said it before and I’ll say it again: I want to see Sean Payton coach the Chargers. the things he would do with that offense and Herbert at QB 😍😍

— Donté Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) October 18, 2022

Payton, who coached in New Orleans for 15 seasons, has two years remaining on his contract with the Saints after the 2022 season. If he were to return to coaching in 2023, New Orleans would need to be compensated.

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