Terry Bradshaw: Sean Payton didn’t want to work with Kyler Murray — or Russell Wilson
Story by Mike Florio • 3h ago
Terry Bradshaw: Sean Payton didn’t want to work with Kyler Murray — or Russell Wilson© Provided by NBC Sports
For most people, there’s a sharp difference between things they’ll say publicly, and the things they’ll say privately.
Terry Bradshaw is not most people. During Fox’s pre-Super Bowl media availability, Vic Lombardi of Altitude Sports Radio in Denver asked Bradshaw a
series of questions about his soon-to-be-former Fox colleague, who is now the head coach of the Broncos.
“We hung with him,” Bradshaw said, establishing a clear foundation for his basis of knowledge about Payton’s preferences. “We would talk, and he would talk and talk and talk.”
And then it slowly started to get more and more interesting. “I’d say, ‘You can’t go to Charlotte,'” Bradshaw said. “That’s the NFC South.'” OK, fine. Makes sense. No controversy there. “You can’t go to Houston,” Bradshaw said. “They don’t have a quarterback down there. And you don’t want to be in Houston.” This one seemed a little odd. They didn’t have a quarterback when Payton went to New Orleans, and it all worked out. Also, I’d love to know more about what Terry has against Houston — unless it’s just an Oilers thing from the late ’70s.
But then it got good. Bradshaw was asked about Payton coaching the Cardinals and quarterback
Kyler Murray. “He didn’t want to work with that quarterback,” Bradshaw said. And then Lombardi swooped in for the hammer: “He’d rather work with Russ?” “I don’t think so,” Bradshaw said, bursting out a big ol’ Louisiana laugh. “But that’s all he’s got. He’s got no choice. But I’ll tell you one thing. He’ll get the most out of him.” Indeed he will. Especially if Wilson realizes that Payton will find someone else to do the job, if Wilson isn’t doing it well enough.
Payton truly has a no-lose situation. If Wilson works out, Payton is a hero for turning him around. If Wilson doesn’t work out, it’s not Payton’s fault. And then Payton gets a fresh start with a new quarterback. Other than Kyler Murray, of course. Before that, Payton will be working the Super Bowl with Fox. And it’ll be very interesting to see whether Payton has anything to say about the things Bradshaw said on Tuesday. There’s a chance Payton is dismayed by Terry’s loose lips. There’s also a chance Payton is pleased that his message was communicated to the work in a way that seemed spontaneous and unintentional.