Sean Payton's close acquaintance reveals he turned down Cardinals job because of Kyler Murray
Sean Payton was the coaching get this cycle and the Denver Broncos nation is certainly happy that he has chosen them over others. They were not the only team in the hunt with the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals among the other franchises interested in him.
For the Texans, it quickly became apparent that their former player, DeMeco Ryans was their first choice. However, the Arizona Cardinals were still in the running for Sean Payton when he signed with Denver.
Now, his close acquaintance at FOX, Terry Bradshaw, has revealed that the main reason he overlooked the Cardinals is because of Kyler Murray. The Arizona quarterback generated a lot of negative headlines this past season. This included social media activities, his apparent reluctance to study film, poor general play, and then injury issues. Furthermore, he is not a prototypical Drew Brees-style pocket passer and is known more for extending play with his legs. It seems that is why Sean Payton chose the Broncos over the Cardinals.
Report: New #Broncos coach Sean Payton took the Denver job "in spite of Russell Wilson.", according to @TomRock_Newsday who spoke directly with Payton's FOX teammate Terry Bradshaw.
Terry also said that Payton didn't want the #Cardinals job because of Kyler Murray. https://t.co/xUPttAeSDq
Is Russell Wilson a better fit for Sean Payton?
As per Terry Bradshaw, Sean Payton has taken the Denver job in spite of Russell Wilson. He is also not a prototypical pocket passer. However, he is a nine-time Pro-Bowler and a Super Bowl champion, something that shows a much better body of work than Kyler Murray.
The Broncos quarterback also has a long playfilm that a coach can study and Sean Payton has already highlighted how he will approach him. He has said that he will draw up plays based on what he believes Russell Wilson is most comfortable doing. He plans to delve into the tapes from his time in Seattle, including in general play and in the red zone.
Sean Payton on how he would help Russell Wilson: https://t.co/vk0aA9Scak
Furthermore, the coach has already made it clear that he is the main man in the building and that the extra accommodations that were given to Wilson last season will not be given. For example, he has already made it clear that his personal coaches will not have separate access to the facility.
In addition, perhaps what remains unsaid is that the Broncos are reportedly paying their new head coach between $18-20 million per year. This is one of the biggest contracts in NFL coaching history. With Denver now having the richest ownership group in the league, that could always have been a draw for a Super Bowl-winning coach like Payton. If he lifts the Lombardi Trophy with them again, the investment will be worth every penny.