Sean Payton apparently refused to pay the NFL after being fined $100,000 in 2020 due to COVID

It’s a good thing Sean Payton is going to make a lot of money this year, because it looks like he still owes the NFL $100,000 in fines.

On Wednesday, ESPN released a comprehensive report on how the the leak of Jon Gruden’s emails led to the demise of Commanders owner Daniel Snyder. One of the interesting nuggets tucked into the story concerns Payton and the fact that he apparently refused to pay the NFL after being fined a hefty three years ago.

During the 2020 season, the NFL issued several special protocols due to COVID. One of the rules was that everyone on the sidelines had to wear a mouth and nose mask. During a Week 2 game that year, Payton’s Saints played Gruden’s Raiders and both coaches ended up violating the league’s COVID rules, leading to a $100,000 fine for each man.

According to the ESPN story, Gruden appealed the fine, but his appeal was denied, so he ended up paying his full fine, which totaled $150,000 at the end of the season.

After Gruden paid the fine, Payton “called him and laughed,” according to ESPN. The reason Payton laughed is because apparently he handed over exactly zero dollars to the NFL.

“I never paid the fine,” Payton told Gruden. “You’re the only blockhead who paid the fine.”

According to the story, Payton also said that Gruden was the only coach to actually pay a COVID-related fine. If so, that doesn’t reflect well on the NFL. If the league can’t force a coach to pay a fine, why fine him again?

With players, the situation is different. If a player is fined, the money will come directly from their pay check, unless they can successfully appeal the fine. As for coaches, it seems to be a bit more complicated than that.

Now that news is out that Payton never paid the fine, the NFL could theoretically look at collecting it again with the 59-year-old now back in the league as the Broncos’ coach.

If Payton’s story is true, it also puts the league in a bit of an awkward position. If the NFL tried to cash in now, it would put a spotlight on the league’s COVID protocols, which may not be something the league wants to deal with right now. (Many players questioned the protocols, including Aaron Rodgers.) On the other hand, if the NFL doesn’t cash in, coaches can simply stop paying fines and point to Payton’s non-payment as the precedent that has now been set .