New Orleans tabs Sean Payton to replace Haslett

The Bill Parcells protege faces a tough job rebuilding in New Orleans.
Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS -- The latest Bill Parcells protege to get an NFL head coaching job is Sean Payton. The New Orleans Saints are hoping he can be as good a turnaround specialist as his mentor.
Payton, a Dallas Cowboys assistant the past three seasons, was introduced Wednesday as the Saints' new head coach, inheriting a team that won three times last season and played all its games on the road because of Hurricane Katrina.
Payton, 42, is taking on his first head coaching job. In Dallas, he worked with quarterbacks and also held the title of assistant head coach. Before that, he was a New York Giants assistant, a stint that included that team's NFC championship in 2000.
Payton succeeds Jim Haslett, whose tenure lasted six years. The Saints went 3-13 in 2005, but were a .500 team during Haslett's first five seasons combined. The victories include the team's only playoff win.
Payton, the Saints' 14th head coach, acknowledged the problems caused by Katrina -- for the team and the New Orleans area.
"Obviously 2005 was a traumatic year for this area, it was a tough time for this team. I hope that in some small way the effort of this team in 2006 and beyond will represent this city and this region well," Payton said.
In addition to coaching quarterbacks, Payton had a very brief pro playing career at that position in the CFL and as a Chicago Bears replacement player during the 1987 strike.
Lions
ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Rod Marinelli was nearing an agreement with the Detroit Lions to become their new head coach.
Marinelli spent the past 10 seasons in Tampa Bay as defensive line coach. His unit helped establish an NFL record with 69 straight games with at least one sack from 1999-03. He had the title of assistant head coach added in 2002.
He has not been a head coach at any level, but attracted interest from at least one other team with an opening this offseason. The Oakland Raiders interviewed Marinelli on Monday, then he traveled to suburban Detroit for a second interview with Lions president Matt Millen.
Among the coaches Millen also interviewed were: former New Orleans Saints coach Jim Haslett, Pittsburgh offensive line coach Russ Grimm; Denver offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak; Cleveland offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon, New York Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis and San Francisco assistant head coach Mike Singletary.
Bills
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Former Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman interviewed with Buffalo, bringing the team a step closer to hiring its new head coach.
Bills spokesman Scott Berchtold confirmed Sherman met with the team at its headquarters, but wouldn't provide details.
Sherman was the third candidate, and second with NFL head-coaching experience, to interview for the job to replace Mike Mularkey. Detroit Lions interim coach Dick Jauron, who previously spent five years as head coach of the Chicago Bears, interviewed with the Bills on Tuesday.
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