Chalk Talk: The “Uncommon” Things that Coach Sean Payton Wants His Players to Do Each Day Might Surprise You
Coach Payton also revealed the common practices he’s moving away from as a coach, what’s on his vision board, what he saw in his time “in the booth,” and what he’s looking for when deciding which players will make it on the bus.
Every time we talk to NFL coach Sean Payton, we enjoy hearing his perspective on all things football. He’s just a down-to-earth guy with a great sense of humor who puts his visor on every day and struggles with color-coordinating outfits like the rest of us.
He also loves pushing for change in his club, the league, and individuals – using data to inform those changes. It’s why he was one of the earliest advocates and adopters of NFL Next Gen Stats, which is powered by Zebra RFID technology. Coach Payton knows that once you stop guessing at what’s happening on the field and start combing through concrete numbers, it becomes easier to fine-tune everything from your training plan to your playbook.
Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why he was the winningest coach in New Orleans Saints franchise history. He used data to inform every decision he made and encouraged all his personnel to follow suit. Then again, maybe it’s because he started taking an “uncommon” approach to recruiting, teaching, and motivating players. Maybe it’s because he prioritizes a player’s sense of humor as much as he does their speed, stamina, and strength. All we know is that Coach Payton is one of the most grounded people we know, and we appreciate the candor with which he answers every question we throw at him. For example, in this episode, we asked him…
How confident (or vulnerable) he really felt when changing jobs and whether it was easier for him to go from the gridiron to the broadcast studio or the studio back to the gridiron.
What it was that really pushed (or pulled) him back to coaching.
Who’s been picking his ‘kicks in recent years. (Yes, we talked fashion with Coach Payton and he passed along some cool styling tricks he learned in the Fox Sports studio.)
How his coaching style has changed in the last 18 years and how we might see it change even more in the coming months.
What’s on his vision board (and why he even has a vision board).
What he learned about the game – and the competition – while in the booth that he didn’t pick up on the field as a coach all those years.
What he thinks most influences the success of an NFL player or team each season.
How he decides which 53 players will make it on the bus each game.
Why he has been such a proponent of data collection and analysis in the past decade and the NFL’s adoption of RFID and data analytics technology at the league level.
- What he really thinks about the changes happening in college football right now.
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You may want to queue these up next:
- Chalk Talk: Former NFL Coach Sean Payton Talks about His New Team, as Well as What Excites and Frightens Him about the Next Chapter of His Movie-Worthy Story
- What Does a Perfect Practice or Game Really Look Like for NFL Players?
- Stories from the Edge | NFL Bets Big on RFID, IoT as Player Statistics Become a Strategic Imperative On and Off the Field
- Chalk Talk: NFL Legend and Football Operations Executive, Troy Vincent, Says Data Will Change What Players, Coaches, Officials and Scouts Do This Season. Find Out How.
- Chalk Talk: Do the Dallas Cowboys Have What It Take to Rebuild Their Dynasty? Could They Play Ball with the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX? RJ Ochoa Joins Us for Some Real Talk.
Adam Petrus
Adam Petrus is currently the Business Development and Sales Lead for Sports & Entertainment at Zebra Technologies where he is responsible for growing Zebra’s hardware and software solutions across the world of sports and the entertainment industry. Prior to joining the sales team Adam co-managed Zebra’s game day operation of the NFL’s Next Gen Stats program and served as the project lead for the NFL’s Equipment Tracking Program, Virtual Locker. Adam has more than 15 years of experience within the sports and technology industry and has been working with Next Gen Stats since 2015. Previously, he worked in the front office of an NFL Football Club, served within the United States Intelligence Community supporting special operations to include two and a half years in Iraq and was a licensed and certified sports agent. Adam holds a bachelor’s degree from Baldwin Wallace University out of Berea, Ohio and attended the International Institute for Management & Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland where he earned a certificate in Business Management and Leadership.
As an active member of the community, Adam serves on the Baldwin Wallace University Carmel-Boyer School of Business Advisory Council, served on the Board of the Ponte Vedra Beach Rotary International Club and is a member of the Jacksonville JAXSports Council - a non-profit established to enhance and positively impact the quality of life and community pride, along with generating economic impact and growth through professional and amateur sports. An outdoor enthusiast, Adam enjoys running, paddle boarding, golfing and being an active parent alongside his wife Jenn to their daughters Olivia (7) & Peyton (5) and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Gunner and Nash.
Fun Fact:
"My first job in the NFL was at age 16 when I was hired by the Cleveland Browns Groundcrew. This position then led to a promotion into the front office when I was in college and a full-time role upon graduation."
