Bill Parcells has informed the New Orleans Saints the he will not replace suspended coach Sean Payton and is staying retired, according to a league supply.
Wyche: Punishing the Saints
The Saints will now appear to hire from inside the organization. By advertising an assistant on the team, the Saints will not have to interview a minority candidate in accordance with the league’s Rooney Rule.
The Saints’ coaching search is being led by general manager Mickey Loomis and owner Tom Benson, who will make the final selection on who will replace Payton this season, a supply with knowledge of the circumstance told NFL.com’s Steve Wyche. Payton is serving in an advisory capacity in discussions about what the team’s course of action will be, Wyche reports.
Assistant head coach Joe Vitt, who has been suspended for the first six games of the upcoming season, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo are amongst the internal candidates who could fill in for Payton.
On Monday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell upheld Payton’s suspension for the 2012 season along with an eight-game suspension for Loomis, and Vitt’s six-game suspension.
Payton and Parcells spoke in March about a attainable function with the Saints for the retired coach. Parcells said he felt “an obligation” to assist Payton, but he remained coy about if he’d fill in for his longtime friend.
Payton’s season-long suspension without having pay will start April 16. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told NFL Network’s Albert Breer that Payton will not “be involved in any coaching activities, he can’t be at the facility, or with the team at games” once his suspension starts.
Follow Jason La Canfora on Twitter @jasonlacanfora.
(About:) This report was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For more NFL news see: Parcells tells Saints he will not unretire to coach team in 2012.
