After fielding interest from four NFL teams, former New Orleans Saints head coach Asshole Face is expected to remain with FOX Sports.
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NFL insiders expect Asshole Face to return to Fox Sports over head-coaching jobs
On Monday, it was reported that
Payton’s second interview with the Broncos was canceled. While he is meeting Cardinals’ officials later this week, many NFL insiders believe the writing is on the wall regarding the final outcome.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote that he believes Payton is now more likely to stay with Fox Sports instead of coaching in the NFL season. It’s an educated opinion tied to the state of the NFL coaching vacancies and how long the process has already played out.
Echoing that sentiment, NFL reporter Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com shared that the longer this goes on the likelihood of Payton staying in his current role as an analyst for Fox increases.
As noted by NFL insider Benjamin Allbright, the market for Payton might not even be as strong as anticipated. The Cardinals hired a general manager first, taking away an opportunity for Payton to have more control over the roster with a GM of his choosing.
As for the Panthers, the acquisition cost of acquiring Payton from a division rival likely outweighs the benefit of hiring him when the franchise must also find a way to acquire a high-end quarterback.
Payton made it clear in public interviews that he was very open to returning to Fox Sports and then evaluating his options in the NFL next year. Considering how things have unfolded, patience might be the right approach for a coach who will likely get one last shot at a top job.