Sean Payton

The job of the coach, besides instructing players, is to show the players that anything is possible. If a coach is not able to tap in to their team’s imagination, and allow them to realize their collective dreams of success, then they are failing in their role. One NFL coach in particular, however, is able to do this better than anyone else. When Sports Speaker Sean Payton arrived, the New Orleans Saints had a record of 3-13 season for the previous season. In the first year under his leadership, the saints not only made the playoffs but also advanced to the NFC Championship game. His coaching career began when he took a position as offensive coaching assistant at San Diego State University. Over the next couple of years, he would hold minor coaching positions at Indiana State University, Miami University, and Illinois. His first major coaching job would come in 1997 as quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia eagles. From there he would move on to help coach the New York Giants. Aging as quarterbacks coach for the Dallas Cowboys, Payton helped coach Quincy Carter, Vinny Testaverde, and Drew Bledsoe to 3,000-yard seasons. In 2006, following the catastrophes of Hurricane Katrina, Payton served as a guiding light for a city in need. After suffering through a dismal 3-13 season, the Saints needed change. Payton had just the trick, bringing them to the playoffs the very next years along with recently signed free agent, Drew Brees. With a record of 10-6, the improvement caught the eye of the entire country, earning him the AP NFL coach of the year award. Payton continued to coach the Saints with rigor so as to allow them to achieve the one thing that the great city of New Orland’s had not yet done: won a super bowl. The dream came true in 2009, after an impressive 13-3 season left them in good position for the playoffs. After fighting through the NFC championship game, the men were able to band together to defeat the Indianapolis colts in the Super Bowl.

Payton has written a New York Times best seller, titled “Home Team: Coaching the Saints and New Orleans Back to Life”. Going in to the 2014 season, Payton was ranked as the no. 2 coach in the league, behind only Bill Belichick. Sports speaker Sean also has a charity of his own titled Payton’s Play it Forward Foundation with it’s mission being to improve the lives of families and children in the areas of health, education and social welfare.