The Atlanta Falcons have been on the wrong side of many jokes after losing a huge lead in last season's Super Bowl against the New England Patriots. According to a player, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton has now joined in on the fun.

In what was only a passing moment on TV, one too hard to see if it really happened, Sean Payton appeared put his right hand around his neck and yelled “choke” in the direction of Falcons running back Devonta Freeman early in the fourth quarter of Thursday night’s game.

That's mostly conjecture, as there's no perfect proof to suggest that actually happened.

When asked about this incident in the postgame presser, Payton did what most coaches in his situation would. He played dumb.

“I don’t remember that,” Payton said during his postgame press conference.

Freeman, who we should take at his word, did.

“I saw it,” Freeman said, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “That man don’t know nothing about choking. He ain’t from where I’m from.

“He’s a good competitor so the competin’ probably came out. But you don’t let that bother you. He don’t know nothing about choking.”

I don't really care about sportsmanship in a professional league. I prefer anarchy. While the optics of a coach doing this might seem less than ideal, it makes for great entertainment. Basically, I am rooting for this to be what happened, even if Sean Payton won't admit it.

In turn, this does create a neat extra layer to the already wonderful Falcons-Saints rivalry.