Sean Payton has coached for several teams throughout his career. He began his coaching career in 1988 as an offensive assistant at San Diego State University. He then worked as an assistant coach at several universities and NFL teams, including Indiana State University, Miami University, Illinois, and the Philadelphia Eagles. He was the quarterbacks coach for the Eagles in 1997. He later served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys.

Payton was named the head coach of the New Orleans Saints in 2006 and led the team to its first Super Bowl victory during the 2009 season. He coached the Saints for 15 years, leading the team to eight playoff berths and six NFC South titles. He was also named the NFLs Coach of the Year in 2006.

In 2023, Payton was named the head coach for the Denver Broncos.