"If Sean Payton were in Dallas, they'd actually have a shot" - Stephen A. Smith would stop trolling the Cowboys if they sign the HC
Sean Payton's sudden exodus from his job as head coach of the New Orleans Saints has been news fodder for NFL fans, players and analysts alike.
That includes ESPN sports commentator Stephen A. Smith.
Sean Payton: “My plans are not to be coaching in 2022 - that’s just how I feel.”
Here's what Smith had to say about the Cowboys and their chances of winning if they were to hire the former Saints head coach for the same position in Dallas:
"They should, because, guess what, if Sean Payton were in Dallas, they'd actually have a shot. There wouldn't be a black cat running around that franchise. It wouldn't be, you know, a situation where they are who we thought they, I mean, it's Sean Payton here. He's brilliant offensively and using the personnel that they have offensively. There is no question that Sean Payton would make a huge, huge difference in a very positive direction. "
Stephen A. Smith is blatantly known for not being a fan of the Cowboys or "their annoying fans." While Smith often speaks this tongue-and-cheek, he makes no bones about gloating whenever the franchise misses the mark by failing.
Stephen A Smith reacting to sad Cowboys fans 😭😂
#DallasCowboys #NFL #HowBoutThemCowboys @StephenASmith https://t.co/ST0B6C9Qxo
These positive words for the Cowboys mean that Smith has the utmost respect for Sean and what he believes he can do if hired as head coach.
Would Sean Payton make a difference as the Cowboys head coach?
If Payton were hired (at some point) as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, the question many would have is how could he be an upgrade over the current Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy?
To begin, he has the support and belief of everyone involved with the Saints, including his former quarterback Drew Brees.
McCarthy, who coached Aaron Rodgers from 2006-2018, was reportedly not seeing eye-to-eye with the three-time NFL MVP on how offense and play-calling should operate during the latter parts of their careers together.
The Saints were also a much more disciplined team than McCarthy has had during his two-year tenure with the Cowboys. Dallas led the league with 127 penalties, while the Saints were in the bottom half of penalties called with 98.
This may have been the cause of the Cowboys losing to the San Francisco 49ers 23-17 in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. During that game, the Cowboys were called for an NFL-record 14 penalties, resulting in 89 yards for the 49ers.
With Drew Brees's former mentor having the ability to coach a disciplined team while creating matchup nightmares from his dynamic play-calling, Cowboys fans (as well as Stephen A. Smith) believe he would be the right man for the job.