New Orleans Saints

Shocking news in New Orleans ... Sean Payton has retired as head coach of the Saints.

New Orleans journalist Nick Underhill first reported the news Tuesday morning.

Payton has been the head man for the Saints since 2006 ... and won a Super Bowl with the team in 2009.

He's widely considered one of the three or four best coaches in the league, and piled up a 152-89 record in his 15 years with the team.

In fact, Payton had been so good in New Orleans, he won more than 10 games in a season NINE separate times.

It's unclear why Payton made the decision this week -- his contract reportedly compensated him well, and he's only 58 years old.

No word yet on where he goes in 2022 from here. There are rumors swirling that he could join a broadcasting booth somewhere -- though heading to another team to be its new head coach might not be totally out of the question either.

Ty Montgomery horrifically dislocated his finger during the Saints' game Sunday ... and, yeah, look away now if you're squeamish.

The New Orleans tailback was running a route against the Titans in the first quarter of their weekend matchup when a ball clanked off his hands, sending him crashing to the ground arms first.

At some point during the play, Montgomery's digit got hit -- and you can see in the video from the game's broadcast, it bent in a way a finger never should.

Cameras showed the finger pointing 90 degrees away from his hand ... and, in fact, a little piece of bone even appeared to be exposed.

Montgomery left the game and was initially ruled as questionable to return -- but he never made it back into action ... and seems like a good bet dude will get a few more days off this week.

If Shawne Merriman were running the New Orleans Saints ... he tells TMZ Sports he'd sign Philip Rivers ASAP -- guaranteeing the QB is ready to play in the NFL today.

"One thing I know about Philip," said Merriman, who played with the quarterback in San Diego for years, "he's been tossin' the rock. There's no rust there."

Rivers has been linked to New Orleans after Jameis Winston tore his ACL in the Saints' game against the Buccaneers ... with the ex-Chargers QB saying this week he'd consider coming out of retirement if Sean Payton called.

But, the Saints headman said his team was going to be sticking with the signal-callers already on its roster for at least the immediate future ... something that Merriman clearly thinks is a mistake.

"He's in shape, he's ready to go," Merriman said of Rivers. "If the Saints are smart, the Saints will pick him up."

Rivers hasn't played a snap in the NFL since losing a playoff game to Buffalo last January ... but he has stuck around the game -- coaching high school football in Alabama.

And, Merriman says that gig has no doubt kept him ready for an NFL return if and when the Saints or anyone else calls.

"The truth of the matter is," Merriman said, "Philip has taken really good care of his body."

The hits just keep on coming for the Saints -- 'cause just two days after the team lost quarterback Jameis Winston, it's now lost Michael Thomas too.

The star wide receiver -- who many at one point considered the best wideout in football -- announced Wednesday he's done for the season after suffering another setback with his ankle injury.

"To my displeasure," Thomas said in a statement on social media, "I will not be able to make it back in time for this season."

Thomas insinuated the injury -- which he initially suffered at the beginning of the 2020 season -- could need some kind of medical procedure, saying he and doctors "will have to address" the issue.

The 28-year-old, who signed a monster 5-year, $96 MILLION contract extension back in 2019, did vow to return as good as ever in 2022.

"I know God doesn't make mistakes so I will continue to follow in his path," Thomas said, "and I can't wait to be back on the field in front of the best fans on the planet."

Brandin Cooks appears to be VERY upset at his team for trading away Mark Ingram ... saying "this is bulls***" just minutes after the Texans agreed to jettison the running back.

Houston is sending Ingram to the New Orleans Saints for draft picks, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero ... and shortly after the news broke, Cooks took to Twitter to presumably sound off on his org.

"This is bulls***," the star wide receiver said. "Such a joke."

While it's certainly possible Cooks was referring to something completely different than the trade -- it seems safe to assume the guy is definitively mad at Houston brass for the move.

Ingram hasn't exactly been tearing it up this season ... but the Texans have now traded away or cut multiple key veterans in the past few weeks -- and Cooks is no doubt upset about it, given Houston is 1-6 this season and doesn't look to be trying to improve its roster.

Cooks, though, might not have to put up with the head-scratching, money-saving decisions much longer ... he, too, is reportedly on the trading block.

Jameis Winston and Cam Jordan are stepping up once again to help New Orleans recover ... with the stars pledging a donation for every team touchdown and sack to the Hurricane Ida relief fund.

The New Orleans Saints QB and defensive end announced the dope gesture on Friday -- Winston will shell out $1,000 per team touchdown and Jordan will hand over $1,000 per team sack to help build back the local communities.

As of Week 3, the Saints have 9 TDs and 6 sacks ... and plan to add more when they finally  return to the Superdome on Oct. 3 against the NY Giants.

"Hurricane Ida has had a devastating effect on New Orleans and the broader Southern Louisiana region," Winston said in a statement.

“We are blessed to be able to return to the city this week, but we know our return does not signify the full restoration of New Orleans and the surrounding area."

Winston says the money will go toward non-profit organizations to contribute to both short-term and long-term needs in hopes of bringing the community back and better than ever.

Winston and Jordan are also asking fans and businesses to help out as well ... by asking them to pitch in any amount to #FORNOLA.

"Nola is a city built from family and community, it has become a home for my family and teammates," Jordan says.

"We pledged as one to continue helping our city rebuild and being what it needs as we work through this time to restore.

The duo already donated a combined $90k this month after the Category 4 storm destroyed their city in late August ... and the Saints owner Gayle Benson also donated $1 million.

Aaron Rodgers says one of the interceptions he threw against the Saints on Sunday was NOT his fault ... explaining the miscue was all entirely due to two New Orleans players hitting him in the groin during the play.

Seriously.

The Green Bay Packers star made the claim on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Tuesday ... saying two defenders careening on his family jewels just before he threw a third-quarter pass caused him to toss the ball to the opposite team.

"I don't like to make a lot of excuses for interceptions," Rodgers said. "There's some s*** ones. There's some ones you wish you had back. And, there's some ones that really aren't your fault."

Rodgers continued, "That one was entirely due to the double nut shot I took."

In video of the play, you can see what Rodgers is talking about ... 'cause just before he released his pass, two defenders' arms do appear to hit him just below the belt.

"Right before I'm throwing it I took a left kind of closeline," Rodgers said, adding, "and somebody on the right with a right kind of cross -- double nut shot."

Rodgers called it "painful" -- "they got their money's worth on that one," the reigning NFL MVP said -- but he joked he's "got to overcome that and throw a better ball in that situation."

Good to see Rodgers can laugh about it all now ... especially considering he and the Pack ultimately got obliterated, 38-3, in the season opener.

Hurricane Ida has forced the Saints to move their season-opener against the Packers out of New Orleans ... with the NFL announcing the game has been officially relocated to Florida.

The league said on Wednesday that due to storm damage and the ongoing efforts to recover from it all in New Orleans ... the Saints' highly anticipated Sept. 12 Week 1 matchup will now be played at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville.

"The decision was made, in consultation with state and local officials and both clubs, in the interest of public safety," the NFL said, adding the game's kickoff time will remain at 4:25 PM ET.

It's unclear if any further Saints games will need to be moved.

The Saints announced earlier this week that the Superdome did not sustain any major damage as Ida pounded the city ... though the team's head coach, Sean Payton, did say he now expects the Saints to be away from New Orleans for about a month.

New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson is doing her part to help ensure Louisianians gets back on their feet after Hurricane Ida ... donating $1 MILLION to storm victims.

Benson and the Saints announced the charitable act on Monday -- saying they're praying for those impacted by the hurricane that has wreaked havoc on Louisiana since it made landfall over the weekend.

"As South Louisiana and the Gulf Coast begin to assess the significant damage inflicted by Hurricane Ida, please know our prayers are with all of those who have suffered from the impacts of this historical storm," Benson and the Saints said.

"We have great faith in the resilience and strength of our community and look forward to doing everything in our power to help lead in the recovery."

Benson and the Saints say the $1 million will go to their Gulf Coast Renewal Fund ... and they urged others to join in with donations as well.

"We will continue to be in close communication with governmental and community leaders to determine where aid and assistance can most effectively be directed," Benson said.

The Saints added that the Superdome suffered only "minor damage" in the storm ... and they're hopeful it won't impact any part of their upcoming regular season schedule.

"We know how much winning games can unite and inspire people in our region," the Saints said, "and we can't wait to take advantage of that responsibility and opportunity."

The Saints won't have to wait long to replace Drew Brees with another Hall of Fame QB ... 'cause will Will Blackmon tells TMZ Sports Aaron Rodgers is heading to New Orleans next season.

"Next year," Blackmon said, "Aaron Rodgers will be a New Orleans Saint."

Blackmon's prediction is a bold one ... but it's not necessarily uninformed -- you'll recall, the former NFL defensive back was teammates with Aaron in Green Bay from 2006 through 2009.

And, Will tells us he still has a good relationship with Aaron ... and it wouldn't surprise him if the Green Bay signal-caller ended up under center for Sean Payton in 2022, given all of the drama Rodgers has gone through with the Packers this offseason.

"I can see Aaron Rodgers being a New Orleans Saint next year," Blackmon said.

Of course, Jameis Winston is N.O.'s starter this year ... but Blackmon doesn't appear to be sure the former #1 overall draft pick will do enough to prove he should get a second year in that role.

Blackmon says cutting down the interceptions -- particularly with a depleted wide receiver group in New Orleans -- might be just too difficult for Jameis ... opening the door for a run at Rodgers.

The New Orleans Saints are doing their part to try to get people vaccinated as COVID cases are surging in Louisiana ... trading signed jerseys for shots at their training camp Friday.

N.O. officials made the vaccines available to fans at their practice facility in Metairie ... and encouraged people to show up by giving away autographed Michael Thomas and Cameron Jordan swag.

And, while they limited the cool gear to just the first 15 people who got the shots, the gesture is a powerful one ... considering how bad COVID is hitting the state at the moment.

More than 20,000 people have tested positive for the virus in Louisiana in the last week ... making it arguably the nation's biggest COVID hotspot area.

Of course, Sean Payton knows all too well the effects of the virus ... the Saints head man was the first big NFLer to test positive for COVID in 2020, and battled fever and chills in his bout with it.

Lights, camera, PAYTON!

That's New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton getting all Hollywood in Louisiana ... where he's shooting a new movie based on the fallout from the NFL's "Bountygate" scandal.

Kevin James is playing Sean Payton in the flick, called "Home Team" -- and even though they don't look exactly alike, you get the point.

Payton has a cameo in the film -- looks like he's playing a mechanic or something?!

As for the movie itself ... here's the backstory.

Payton received a 1-year suspension from the NFL in 2012 for Bountygate  -- when Saints players were getting cash payouts from 2009 to 2011 for targeting and injuring opponents during games.

During his suspension, Payton coached his son's youth football team -- and reportedly used the time away from the league to "reassess his life and put it in some perspective."

The movie will focus on Payton's time away from his job -- and how he grew as a person because of the experience.

The movie is being produced by Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions -- so it seems the flick will be a lighthearted, family-friendly depiction of the situation ... despite the heavy and despicable nature of the suspension in the first place.

The cast includes stars like Taylor Lautner and Rob Schneider -- as well as Isaiah Mustafa ... aka the Old Spice guy!!

New Orleans Saints star Cam Jordan is cutting a $120,000 check to help fund anti-racism training for NOPD officers ... and city officials are stoked.

31-year-old Jordan -- a 6-time Pro Bowl defensive end -- announced the move Monday alongside New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell ... saying he's happy to fund a program that will have a positive impact on the community.

The training will be operated by the Crescent City Corps -- which describes itself as a "New Orleans-based non-profit that equips new police officers with leadership development and community engagement training so that they can work alongside citizens to build a more just, safe, and inclusive city."

CCC launched a pilot program with 10 NOPD offices in 2019 -- and now, with Cam's donation, they hope to train 80 officers over the next 2 years.

"This is not a solution," Jordan said during the event ... "This is a continuation of work that has been done from the social justice leaders, who have been on the ground, to the leaders that are in the system as we speak now."

"Lending anything of who I am to this program can bring a spotlight to what they're doing."

NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson praised Jordan for the donation -- and explained how Cam first reached out about it in the wake of the George Floyd murder in May 2020.

"I remember Cam, in the midst of everything that was going on in our country, asking, 'What can I do?'"

A cop was so concerned for Marshon Lattimore after finding a gun near his groin during a police stop last month that he straight-up warned the NFL star, "You're gonna shoot your dick off."

... and the whole incident was caught on police video obtained by TMZ Sports.

Lattimore and three others were stopped in Cleveland on March 26 after cops say the driver of the vehicle had committed multiple traffic violations.

In video of the stop, you can see officers swarmed the car immediately ... and confronted Lattimore right away.

In the clip, cops say they smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car ... and then asked Lattimore if there were firearms inside the ride.

Eventually, Lattimore revealed he DID have a gun on his person ... and told cops it was located in the groin area of his jeans.

"You're gonna shoot your dick off," one officer said as he removed the firearm from Lattimore's pants.

"Get yourself a holster, brother," another cop told the New Orleans Saints corner.

As cops were conducting searches around the car, one of the officers apparently realized Lattimore was an NFL player ... and said out loud, "You play for the Saints?!"

The cop then scolded the 24-year-old for putting himself in the position ... explaining, "It's not like you're a, you know, f***ing chump out there, bro!"

Ultimately, cops say they found Lattimore's gun showed up in the system as stolen ... and they arrested him, booking him on charges of failure to notify and receiving stolen property.

FYI, the stolen property charge is a 4th degree felony -- which carries a maximum punishment of 18 months in prison. So yeah, that's a big deal.

The other three passengers in the car were also arrested.

Lattimore's case is currently playing out in the court system.

Lattimore is one of the best defensive players in the NFL ... and is expected to ink a massive contract extension with the Saints when his rookie deal expires after the 2021 season.

Here's a refreshingly candid moment from Jameis Winston ... the Saints QB admitted to kids he went from top NFL prospect to league laughingstock -- but he's now vowing to work his ass off to change that.

The 27-year-old was helping out at Kenny Shaw's football camp in Orlando, FL on Saturday when he delivered the speech ... and it was a very cool, self-aware moment from the former #1 overall pick.

Winston, in addressing dozens of campers, said, "I went from being the #1 draft pick to being everybody laugh at me."

Jameis, of course, is not wrong ... the guy has been mocked for issue after issue after issue during and after his rise to national fame at Florida State.

There was the crab leg incident. The "f*** her right in the p****" debacle. There was the incredibly awkward "Eat A W" celebration. And, who can forget his quirky training methods??

But, Jameis told the young footballers he's doing everything in his power to change all of that and be the heir to Drew Brees' throne in New Orleans.

"Guess what?" Jameis said. "I'm about that business. I'm outworking everybody at my position."

Winston had to pause, 'cause Dallas Cowboys star QB Dak Prescott was standing right next to him helping out at the camp -- but he continued nonetheless!!

"I know Dak right there," he said as Prescott smiled. "But, I'm doing things every single day. Committing to the dream."

Winston then encouraged the kids to believe in themselves and always approach the game with a little kid's perspective ... because he says that's how he's going about his business now.

Paul Blart: NFL coach!?

Kevin James is all set to play New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton in an upcoming Netflix project ... and it's all based around the fallout from the infamous "Bountygate" scandal.

Remember, Payton was suspended for 1 year after the NFL found Saints defensive players were getting cash payouts from 2009 to 2011 for targeting and injuring opponents during games.

But, the movie doesn't sound like a dark look into the violent side of the scandal ... it's reportedly based on Payton's decision to focus on coaching his son's youth football team during his time away from the league.

The movie is being produced by Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions -- so it seems the flick will be a lighthearted, family-friendly depiction of the situation ... despite the heavy and despicable nature of the suspension in the first place.

The movie is titled "Home Team" ... and Payton is reportedly heavily involved, according to Peter King -- who says Payton received a copy of the script and actually submitted a round of notes to producers.

In real life, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was FURIOUS with Payton and the Saints for the scandal -- saying it gave the league a serious black eye.

An NFL investigation found that Payton both knew about the bounty situation AND made efforts to conceal it from the league during subsequent investigations.

One of the players who had a bounty on his head was Brett Favre -- who got the snot beat out of him during the 2010 NFC Championship game. The beating he took that day was exceptionally violent.

The NFL ultimately found Payton failed to "act in a responsible manner" to shut down the bounty scheme and suspended him for the entire 2012 season.

During his suspension, Payton helped out his son's 6th-grade youth football team.

According to Peter King, Payton used the suspension to "re-assess his life and put it in some perspective" -- and that will serve as the theme for the upcoming movie.

There is already some backlash on social media from people who are afraid the movie will paint Payton as some sort of hero. Then again, people can change ... right?