This week, Sean Payton will step onto the sidelines of the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans for the first time since January 2, 2022. The Denver Broncos coach is returning to the venue where he spent 15 seasons and made history as the winningest coach in Saints history during “Thursday Night Football.”

After resigning as the head coach of the Saints in January 2022, Payton hinted at the possibility of a future in the NFL.

“I’m not fond of the term ‘retirement,'” he remarked during his farewell press conference. “I still envision doing things within football. Honestly, that could involve coaching again down the line.”

A year later, he made his comeback to the NFL, this time with the Broncos. Here’s why Denver needed to compensate New Orleans for Payton and the details of what was exchanged.

What did the Saints receive in the Sean Payton trade?

To acquire Payton, the Broncos struck a deal with the Saints that included:

• The Saints obtained: A first-round pick in 2023 and a second-round pick in 2024.
• The Denver Broncos acquired: Payton along with a third-round pick in 2024.

Upon signing with Denver, Payton became one of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches, reportedly earning around $18 million annually over a five-year term.

Why was a trade necessary for Sean Payton?

The Broncos were required to trade for Payton before the 2023 NFL season because he was still contracted with New Orleans. Payton had signed a five-year extension in 2019, and even after retiring, New Orleans retained his coaching rights.

Details of the Sean Payton trade: Draft picks

The Saints used their first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to select defensive tackle Bryan Bresee with the 29th pick overall.

New Orleans combined the second-round pick from the 2024 draft to move up in the second round through a trade with Green Bay, eventually selecting cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry at No. 41.

Meanwhile, Denver used the third-round pick obtained from this trade to move up in the 2023 NFL Draft, selecting Iowa cornerback Riley Moss.

NFL head coaching trades history

Payton became the eighth head coach in NFL history to be traded for draft picks. The other seven include:

• 1970: The Baltimore Colts hired Don Shula from the Miami Dolphins, resulting in the Colts forfeiting their first-round pick in the 1971 NFL Draft to Miami per commissioner Pete Rozelle’s directive.
• 1997: The New England Patriots traded Bill Parcells to the New York Jets for multiple picks, including a third- and fourth-round choice in 1997, a second-round pick in 1998, and a first-round pick in 1999.
• 1999: The Green Bay Packers traded Mike Holmgren to the Seattle Seahawks for a second-round pick in the 1999 NFL Draft.
• 2000: The Jets traded Bill Belichick to the Patriots, resulting in the following exchange:
  • New York received the Patriots’ first-round pick in the 2000 draft plus their fourth- and seventh-round picks in 2001.
  • New England acquired Belichick along with the Jets’ fifth-round pick in the 2001 draft and their seventh-round pick in 2002.
• 2002: The Oakland Raiders traded Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for multiple picks, including first- and second-rounders in 2002 and a first-round pick in 2003.
• 2006: The Jets traded Herm Edwards to the Kansas City Chiefs for a fourth-round pick in 2006.
• 2019: The Arizona Cardinals traded Bruce Arians and a seventh-round pick in 2019 to the Buccaneers for a sixth-round pick.

Sean Payton’s record with the New Orleans Saints

Sean Payton served as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 2006 to 2021. Here’s a summary of his achievements during that time:

• Regular season record: 152 wins and 89 losses
• Postseason record: 9 wins and 8 losses
• Super Bowl champion (XLIV)

With Denver’s Week 6 victory over the Jets, Payton moved to 20th on the all-time wins list, sitting just one win behind John Harbaugh of Baltimore.