On December 29, 1963, Sean Patrick Payton, a current American football coach and a former quarterback, was born.
Prior to that, from 2006 to 2021, he served as the head coach of the National Football League’s (NFL) New Orleans Saints, guiding them to their first Super Bowl victory in 2009.
While a student at Eastern Illinois University and Naperville Central High School, Payton played quarterback. While playing for the British team Leicester Panthers in 1988, he made his professional debut.
Sean Payton siblings: Meet Tom Payton, Patrice Payton, Molly Payton
Sean’s siblings are Tom Payton, Patrice Payton, and Molly Payton.
Sean graduated in 1982 from Naperville Central High School in Naperville, Illinois, where he started as the quarterback his senior year.
After receiving a football scholarship, Payton played quarterback for Eastern Illinois University, leading the Panthers to an 11-2 record and the Division I-AA Playoffs quarterfinals in 1986.
During this time, he also joined the Sigma Chi fraternity with his close friend Rick Henghold. Payton’s Eastern Illinois teams were nicknamed “Eastern Airlines” under coach Al Molde because of their ruthless throwing offence, which routinely exceeded 300 yards per game (and had 509 passing yards in one game, still a school record).
