Sean Payton focused on Drew Brees, not his own Hall of Fame chances
· Yahoo Sports
On Saturday, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton will take a trip down memory lane as he prepares to present former quarterback Drew Brees for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The duo set multiple records together with the New Orleans Saints, with Payton as a playcaller for Brees, which all culminated in a Super Bowl XLIV victory in the 2009 season. Payton spoke on the honor he has of presenting Brees. "I looked up last night, I don’t think there’s ever been a head coach put his quarterback in the Hall of Fame, and I was surprised by that," Payton said after Thursday's training camp practice. "I’m really excited about not only Drew, but the other players that are going in."
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Brees will be inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside Roger Craig, Larry Fitzgerald, Adam Vinatieri and Luke Kuechly on Saturday.
Payton has long been considered a Hall of Fame coach in his own right, coming from the Bill Parcells coaching tree, and making a name for himself first in New Orleans, and now in Denver. But when he was asked about his future Hall of Fame candidacy, Payton understandably said, “This is the weekend that Drew is going in," and that's where his focus is.
He doesn't even want to think about his own Hall of Fame résumé: he's got a season to be played right in front of him. "I think when someone’s still coaching or playing, it’s hard to (call them Hall of Fame worthy)," Payton said. "And yet, it is what it is, but we’re still writing our chapters."
Despite Payton's objections, Broncos offensive coordinator Davis Webb has not shied away from calling a spade a spade. "I’m blessed to be here with a gold jacket head coach," Webb said during OTAs in June. "The best (coach) I’ve been with is upstairs, gold jacket, Hall of Fame head coach, play caller, culture builder," Webb said again in June. "For the last three years, sitting next to him in every single staff meeting, every single offensive game plan meeting has rubbed off (on me) in a lot of ways."
Payton may take time to remember the past, but the future is still very much in front of him. Payton's Broncos are coming off an appearance in the AFC title game earlier this year, and they are hungry for more. With those lofty expectations in mind, Payton will steer the ship for the foreseeable future.
The Broncos take the field for their seventh training camp practice on Friday, before Payton takes a well-deserved day off on Saturday to participate in Brees' enshrinement.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Sean Payton focused on Drew Brees, not his own Hall of Fame chances