Sean Payton continues to beat that drum.
After insisting all last season that he never planned to leave New Orleans, the longtime Saints coach reiterated his commitment to the team and city this week.
"The grass isn't always greener at some spots. I've heard that talk about, you're approaching 10 years, for me it's nine, 10 for our program," Payton said, per The Times-Picayune. "And yet, it's different now. Players transition much quicker, and so, I don't feel like I'm sitting in front of the same team that maybe that you had five or six years ago."
Said Payton: "I like this locker room, I like the way we finish. And I love New Orleans. So, there was that period of, 'Hey, this is where I see myself finishing.'"
Whether or not you buy it, Payton came on strong about why the Saints remain a better fit for his services than elsewhere.
"Aside from the great things in our city, I'd also say our structure," Payton said of the franchise. "Ownership, front office, general manager, head coach."
As Gregg Rosenthal mentioned on the Around the NFL Podcast this week, team structure, ownership and franchise stability are more important than ever in the NFL. We previously pegged Payton as a candidate to test the coaching waters, but his actions speak louder: He's not giving up on the Saints.