Sean Payton, Head Coach of New Orleans Saints and his wife Beth Founded: January 2008 Incorporated by the State of Louisiana on Feb. 18,2008

Mission: To improve the lives of families and children in the areas of health, education and social welfare. Geographical areas to be served are Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas. Goals: To raise funds and awareness for organizations fighting at the fore-front for families and children in need. This can include homelessness, education and educational needs, healthcare for uninsured and disabled, victims of domestic violence, as well as other social welfare needs. BIO: In just five seasons as Head Coach of the New Orleans Saints, Sean Payton has established himself as one of the most successful coaches in the National Football League during this span. Since coming to New Orleans, Payton has led the Saints to their first Super Bowl title in franchise history and two division titles. During his tenure, he has compiled a 53-33 record and his teams have reached the postseason three times. Payton was hired as the 14th head coach in Saints history on Jan. 18, 2006 after being a member of the Dallas Cowboys staff since 2003. In 2011 he enters his 15th season in the NFL and 23rd in coaching.

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Through this five-year span, Payton holds the top winning percentage (.616) for a Saints coach all-time. No NFC team has won more than the 53 Payton has won during this period and only four AFC clubs have more wins. His 53 wins during the time are the most during any five-year span in Saints history and tied for the second-most by an NFL coach during this period. He’s posted a 4-2 (.667) mark in the postseason after the team had won only one playoff game in franchise history prior to his arrival.  

Serving as the club’s play-caller, Payton’s presided over the most prolific offense in the NFL, leading the league in yards per game three-of-his five seasons at the helm and finishing first in scoring in 2008 and 2009. These are the only three times the Saints have led the NFL in total offense. In franchise history, the Saints have scored at least 45 points 10 times. Six of these outputs have occurred under Payton’s watch.

In 2010 Payton led the Saints to their second consecutive postseason appearance and third in five seasons with an 11-5 record, becoming the only the second coach in franchise history to post three double-digit win seasons. It was only the second time in club record books that the Saints had back-to-back 11-win campaigns. The club had six road victories in 2010 as they had back-to-back winning records at visiting stadiums for the first time since 1991 and 1992. In fact, three of the top six road campaigns in team history (7-1 in 2009, 6-2 in both 2006 and 2010) have come under Payton in the last five years. His regular season road winning percentage (25-15, .625) is tops in club history and the NFL’s fourth-best over that period.

New Orleans set a team record in 2010 in third down efficiency by converting an NFL-best 48.8% of their attempts. Offensively, the Saints ranked sixth in the NFL in total yards (372.5 ypg) and 11th in points per game (24.0 ppg). In addition, the team finished third in passing (277.6 ypg), the fourth time top-three finish in five seasons. New Orleans finished fifth in the NFL with 351 first downs, the second-highest total in franchise history. New Orleans’ offensive line gave up only 26 sacks, which was the NFL’s fifth-lowest total.

Defensively, the team took a big step forward, making the jump from the 25th ranked total defense in 2009 to the fourth-ranked defense (306.3 ypg) in 2010. It marked the first time since 1997 that they have ranked among the league’s top five. Most significant in this was a jump in passing defense, moving from 26th (235.6 ypg) in 2009 to fourth (193.9 ypg) in 2010. The club also moved up from 20th to seventh (19.2 ppg) in scoring defense. The defense also significantly improved their third down conversion ranking from 14th (38.0%) to fifth (34.5%).

In 2009 Payton guided the Saints to the team’s second NFC South title in four seasons with a 13-3 record.  Along the way the Saints set a franchise-record for most regular season wins in a season (13), breaking the previous mark of 12 in 1992. Their 16 overall victories were the most for a club in the 44-year history of the franchise. The Saints also posted the longest winning streak in team history when they won their first 13 contests.  Payton once again was named as the top head coach in the NFL by numerous media outlets and recognized football chapters.  

In 2009, the Saints finished as the NFL’s number one ranked offense (sixth in rushing and fourth in passing) for the second consecutive year and the third time in four seasons.  On the other side of the ball an opportunistic defense, recorded 26 interceptions with an NFL-leading five returned for touchdowns. New Orleans also ranked second in the league in opponent red zone touchdown percentage (39.3). The Saints set team records in scoring (510), and touchdowns (64) under Payton’s watch and battled through the postseason with victories over the Arizona Cardinals (divisional round) and Minnesota Vikings (NFC Championship game) en route to Super Bowl XLIV. A franchise-record seven players were named to the Pro Bowl – QB Drew Brees, G Jahri Evans, C Jonathan Goodwin, S Roman Harper, S Darren Sharper, T Jon Stinchcomb and LB Jonathan Vilma.  

In 2008, the Saints ranked first overall in the NFL in offense and set team records for total yards (6,571), net passing yards (4,977) and first downs (354), also tying a team record for single-game scoring in a 51-29 win over Green Bay.

In 2007, the Saints endured injuries and a slow start, but put together a four-game winning streak to get back into playoff contention. New Orleans finished fourth in the NFL in total offense while also holding nine opponents to 17 points or less.  

Payton scrapped the traditional timetable for rebuilding an NFL club in 2006. In his opening season as a head coach, the Saints jumped out to a 3-0 record - a first in team history and equaled the team's win total from the previous year – and clinched the NFC South title before the regular season finale. New Orleans led the NFL in total offense, went to the postseason for the first time since 2000 and advanced to the NFC Championship for the first time. When 2006 came to a close, Payton was voted the Coach of the Year by the Associated Press, Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers of America, The Sporting News and the Maxwell Club. He and his staff also coached the NFC squad in the Pro Bowl.

Prior to his final season with the Cowboys, Payton was promoted to assistant head coach/passing game coordinator and was responsible for the team's play-calling. For the previous two years, he had been assistant head coach/quarterbacks. In 2005, the Cowboys tied for second in the NFC with 318 first downs. When Payton arrived Dallas had ranked 31st in passing the previous year but immediately improved to 17th.  

Payton came to Dallas after four years with the New York Giants (1999-2002), the last three as offensive coordinator after spending his first season as quarterbacks coach. Payton solidified his reputation as one of the game's brightest offensive minds in 2000. In his first season as coordinator, the Giants captured the NFC title and went to Super Bowl XXXV. New York scored 328 points – the club's highest total since 1990 - and finished 13th in the NFL in total offense.  

Payton was first assigned play-calling duties prior to a game against the Jets on Dec. 5, 1999. The Giants responded with 41 points and 490 yards - both season highs - and he retained that assignment over the final five games. Appointed the offensive coordinator the following season, over the next three years the Giants passing attack continually improved, ranking 13th in the NFL in 2000, tied for eighth in 2001 and sixth in 2002.  

In 2002 the Giants also finished sixth overall in total offense, the team's highest ranking since 1985. In the previous decade, New York hadn't ranked above 20th. Prior to joining the Giants, he spent 1997 and 1998 as Philadelphia's quarterbacks coach. In 1997, the Eagles ranked second in passing and third in total offense in the NFC.

During his career, Payton has had particular success tutoring quarterbacks. Brees has thrived since arriving in New Orleans, as he holds or is tied a total of 19 club career, single season and single game records. In 2010, he completed 448-of-658 passes (681%) for 4,620 yards with 33 touchdown passes, breaking his own career-high and the franchise record for completions, as he was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl in five seasons in New Orleans. Brees helped engineer the club’s Super Bowl XLIV Championship season with his outstanding play, when he finished first in with an NFL record 70.6 completion percentage and also led the league with a career-high 106.9 passer rating and 34 touchdown passes. In the postseason, the Super Bowl MVP threw for eight scores with no interceptions, playing mistake-free football on the way to the Championship. Under Payton’s watch in 2008, Brees became the second passer in NFL history to throw for over 5,000 yards in a season.  

Since 2000, every passer under Payton's guidance has thrown for over 3,000 yards. In addition to Brees since 2006, the three starting quarterbacks he worked with in Dallas - Drew Bledsoe in 2005, Vinny Testaverde in 2004 and Quincy Carter in 2003 - all surpassed the milestone. And while in New York, Giants QB Kerry Collins had 4,073 yards in 2002.

Payton wrapped two coaching stints at San Diego State University (1988-89 and 1992-93) around a stop at Indiana State (1990-91). During his second stretch with the Aztecs, Payton was running backs coach, working with Heisman Trophy runner-up Marshall Faulk before becoming quarterbacks coach.

Following the 1993 season, Payton moved to Miami of Ohio (1994-95) where he was quarterbacks coach prior to being promoted to co-offensive coordinator. He spent 1996 as quarterbacks coach at Illinois before entering the NFL with Philadelphia.  

Payton earned a bachelor’s degree in communications at Eastern Illinois, where as a quarterback he had 10,665 passing yards, then the third-highest total in NCAA Division I-AA history. The three-time AP All-American selection had professional stints with Chicago of the Arena Football League, Ottawa of the Canadian Football League and the Chicago Bears in 1987. Payton was inducted into the Eastern Illinois Hall of Fame in September of 2000 and had his jersey retired in a ceremony in September, 2010.  

Born Dec. 29, 1963 in San Mateo, Calif., and raised in Naperville, Ill., Payton and his wife, Beth, have a daughter, Meghan and a son, Connor.