New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton walks on the field before the NFL NFC wildcard playoff football game against the Detroit Lions in New Orleans, La., Jan. 7, 2012. (REUTERS/Sean Gardner)
NEW YORK - Sean Payton is back at the helm in The Big Easy.
After serving his one-year suspension for his alleged part in the New Orleans Saints’ Bountygate scandal, Payton was reinstated as the team’s head coach by Commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday morning.
Goodell made the decision after having a heart-to-heart conversation with Payton on Monday, one which left the Commissioner satisfied that Payton had met the criteria of his punishment.
“We had a very productive discussion,” Goodell said in a statement on Tuesday. “Sean fully complied with all the requirements imposed on him during his suspension.
“More important, it is clear that Sean understands and accepts his responsibilities as a head coach and the vital role that coaches play in promoting player safety and setting an example for how the game should be played at all levels,” he added. “We are committed to delivering football that fans love and the safety players deserve. Coach Payton agrees and I look forward to working with him going forward to do that.”
