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Sean Payton has tried to hire former NFL linebacker Rob Ninkovich as a coach multiple times, the two-time Super Bowl champion said during a recent interview with Betway Insider’s Jack Green.
“Sean Payton has contacted me a couple times about working together,” Ninkovich told Green. “One opportunity was with the Saints, and when you have young kids, it’s really difficult to jump into that profession because of the time commitment and the potential for movement.
“When Sean was in Denver, another opportunity popped up for me, and again you have to make sure that everybody’s on the same page because we’re going to do this, we’re going to be all in.”
Ninkovich, 40, started his playing career in New Orleans before a stint with the Miami Dolphins. He then had another stop with the Saints before joining the New England Patriots, who he played for from 2009-2016.
Ninkovich told Green that he coached high school football last year. He didn’t mention it in the interview, but Ninkovich also served as a guest coach at Broncos practice in 2023. Perhaps that is when Payton offered him a role in Denver.
From Zach Strief to Davis Webb to Chris Banjo, Payton is no stranger to hiring former players as coaches, even immediately after they hang up their cleats. Ninkovich has been out of the NFL since 2017, but it sounds like he isn’t quite ready to coach at the pro level. Time will tell if Payton can convince the ex-linebacker to change his mind.