Sean Payton hasn't been ruled out as the next head coach of the Denver Broncos, Ian Rapoport reported on the Pat McAfee show on Tuesday.
Although the team has reportedly gone through their top three number one picks at head coach, including San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, it could still come down to Payton or Michigan Wolverines longtime coach Jim Harbaugh.
Ryans reportedly told the team he no longer wants to be in the running for the position as he is being linked to the Houston Texans, while Harbaugh met with the team again last week.
“Many of the candidates have been eliminated, but Sean Payton has not been eliminated,” Rapoport told McAfee on Tuesday. “There are two things that could be happening right now, and they are opposite. One is Denver is collecting itself and getting ready to put in new slips to restart their search, or they're going to someone who has not yet been eliminated.”
Rapoport continued to explain that he was told “very strongly it is not someone we don't know.”
“If Sean Payton gets $25 million, that's awesome and he should get it,” Rapoport asserted. “My guess is he'll be worth it. He's a very, very good coach.”
He also doesn't think the Saints will get two first-round picks for Payton, believing it will actually be one first-round pick and a potential mid-rounder.
Harbaugh previously stated his “heart is at the University of Michigan,” likely meaning he will return to the school in 2023.
Sean Payton has had one interview with the Broncos and remains in the mix, but Denver hasn't requested a second interview with him, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.
The Broncos have informed previous candidates Raheem Morris, David Shaw, Jim Caldwell and Ejiro Evero that they are no longer in the running for the head coaching job.
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