Before the NFL made an official decision on ending offseason activities, Payton told
his players to stay home until training camp. They made the most of the autonomy.
By Nora Princiotti | The Ringer
Back in April, as NFL teams were scrambling to figure out how to proceed with offseason activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Saints coach Sean Payton manufactured a bit of clarity for his players. Facilities were closed, but the league held out hope that an altered offseason schedule of OTAs and minicamps could begin eventually. Payton didn’t love the sound of eventually, so he gave players the only answer he could that didn’t require any contingencies—he told them to go home and stay there.
“Show up in July for training camp in the best shape of your life,” Payton reportedly told the team. “Take care of your families, your health, and be ready this summer.”
Payton’s decision canceled the team’s offseason workouts, making the Saints the first to do so before the league offered direction. New Orleans’s offseason plans didn’t end up differing dramatically from other teams’—the league officially canceled in-person minicamps in June—but Saints players say by simply making a choice and sticking by it, Payton gave them a subtle yet significant benefit as they prepared for this pandemic-inflected season with so many variables and unknowns.
“I definitely felt like it was an advantage, just having clarity,” said left tackle Terron Armstead.
Full Story - The Ringer
