Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Newspaper: Saints will hired Payton as new head coach

NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Saints will hire Sean Payton to be the team's 14th head coach, The Times-Picayune reported Tuesday, citing unidentified league sources.Payton and Saints general manager Mickey Loomis negotiated a multi-year contract Tuesday, the newspaper reported, adding that the announcement is expected some time Wednesday at the team's practice facility in Metairie.Payton for the last three years has worked under two-time Super Bowl winner Bill Parcells with the Dallas Cowboys. He was assistant head coach/passing game coordinator for the Cowboys this season and was the assistant head coach/quarterbacks for the two previous seasons.Payton would succeed Jim Haslett, whose tenure lasted six years. The team's compiled a 3-13 record for 2005, a season in which all of their "home" games were played on the road because of Hurricane Katrina. The Saints had an aggregate .500 record during Haslett's first five seasons.