After cameras caught him making a choking gesture in the direction of Falcons running back Devonta Freeman during a Week 14 game, Saints coach Sean Payton played dumb in his postgame media session and claimed to have no idea what was being asked when questioned about it.
The Falcons and Saints will meet again this weekend and Payton has used that opportunity to admit to what everyone has already seen. During a conference call with Atlanta media on Wednesday, Payton said he has a “ton of respect” for Freeman and that he regrets losing his composure.
“Listen, the mistake I made that night was letting my emotions get the best of me,” Payton said, via Atlanta Journal Constitution. “It’s the same thing that we talk about with our players all of the time. It wasn’t good and I felt like as that game went on, it even affected me in calling plays. I’ve got to better that way. It was frustrating from some of the officiating. But you learn even when you’ve been in this thing as long as I have. It’s something that you regret and you look back on ‘what are you doing?’ So, I think that’s the thing that bugged me for the better part of the week.”
Payton’s lack of composure hurt the team later in the same game as he was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct for coming on the field to yell at an official who was slow to honor Payton’s request for a timeout. That penalty allowed the Falcons to run out the clock and avoid anything that could be considered choking away a 20-17 win.
