Sean Payton likely could have had the Arizona Cardinals head coach job if he wanted it, and many believe he turned it down in part because he did not want to coach Kyler Murray. Payton insists that is not true.
Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who worked alongside Payton as an analyst for FOX this season, said in an interview earlier in the week that Payton passed on the Cardinals because “he didn’t want to work with that quarterback.” During a Thursday appearance on “Up & Adams” with Kay Adams, Payton was asked about Bradshaw’s remarks.
Adams sarcastically told Payton that she has learned from the internet that the coach hates Murray. Payton said he is a fan of Murray and downplayed Bradshaw’s big revelation.
“I like Kyler Murray. My son is his biggest fan. After the interview my son sent me all of (Murray’s) high school throws and college throws,” Payton said. “I think the other day Terry Bradshaw was interviewed. I love Terry. That group that I work with has been amazing. But when Terry gets interviewed you hold your breath, because you don’t know what’s gonna come out. I know from Terry’s perspective, he would have felt better if I was coming back to FOX, so there wasn’t gonna be (any player or team) good enough, in his eyes, for me. I saw him last night and I’m like, ‘Terry, I appreciate the kind words and appreciate you waiting until after my press conference to blow this story up.’
“But, no, I think (Murray is) extremely talented. I think (the Cardinals) have some of the same challenges we have in Denver. The culture in the building has to be better, it just does. Two young coaches (Kliff Kingsbury and Nathaniel Hackett) — it got away from them, it happens.”
You can hear Payton’s full response below:
What did Kyler Murray ever do to @SeanPayton ?!⁰⁰the @Broncos new head coach answers
: @FanDuelTV | @heykayadams | @K1 pic.twitter.com/iMoJwAu36J— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) February 9, 2023
Even if Payton did turn down the Cardinals because he did not want to coach Murray, he would never admit it. For what it’s worth, Bradshaw also made it seem like Payton does not want to work with Russell Wilson, either.
