Recently, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton expressed remorse for his public criticism of former offensive coordinator and general manager Pete Carmichael. Payton had previously criticized Carmichael for his role in the team’s struggles during the 2020 season.
Payton’s comments were made during a press conference following the Saints’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Divisional Round. He said that he had “lost his cool” and that he “should have handled it better.” He also said that he had apologized to Carmichael and that he had “a lot of respect” for him.
The Saints had a disappointing season in 2020, finishing with a 7-9 record and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Payton had previously blamed Carmichael for the team’s struggles, saying that he had not done enough to improve the offense.
Carmichael was fired after the season and replaced by former Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo. Payton said that he was “very happy” with DeFilippo and that he was confident that the team would improve under his leadership.
Payton’s apology to Carmichael was a rare show of humility from the usually stoic head coach. It was also a reminder that even in the heat of the moment, it is important to be respectful and understanding of others. It is a lesson that all of us can learn from.
