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An outbreak of COVID-19 in the New Orleans Saints has caused six assistant coaches to be left out of the game this week among their collection of positive cases.
That circumstance has led head coach Sean Payton to have to take a little more relaxation this week as the Saints prepare to face the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
For quarterback Jameis Winston, the need for Payton to be more practical this week has presented a unique opportunity and some silverware for him and the team.
“We experienced one of the best offensive mental coaches ever in the game, one-on-one, as a staff meeting leading the team,” Winston said, through Schuyler Dixon of the Associated press. “I’ve never been in this room watching tape with Sean, going through situations with Sean and expressing how he would like something to be done.
“I am concerned about the health of our coaches and I want them to recover. But if they just want to let him run the meetings, I would really like it. “
Although he did not name specific coaches, Payton said one of the back coaches, a wide receiver, an offensive line coach and two tight coaches were among the six seated. With so many offensive coaches out and having to contribute remotely until he clears protocol, Payton has had to run most of the offensive program this week.
Just as the Saints had to move to Dallas and play at home in Jacksonville due to Hurricane Ida, the Saints had to adapt and Winston praised Payton for the way he ran the team. in these circumstances.
“I think it fell well into how we’ve been adjusting here in Dallas,” Winston said. “One thing I admire about our head coach is that he doesn’t blink. It really embraces these situations. It expresses how we should embrace it. We just team up with him and shoot with him. “