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NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - A fourth NFL team has been granted permission from the Saints to interview Sean Payton for their head coaching job. And according to a report from ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter, this time it’s an NFC South Division rival -- the Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers, according to Schefter, join the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos and Houston Texans in having enough interest in the former Saints coach to request permission to interview him. Payton is scheduled to meet first with the Broncos this Tuesday.

Though a high-profile coach such as Payton taking his next job with a division rival is rare, it is not without precedent.

Some of the NFL’s highest-profile coaching deals - Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick - also involved division rivals. If the Panthers were able to hire Payton, he would be the newest entrant to join the list of coaches making an intra-division jump to spice up a rivalry.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 15, 2023

Earlier reports said Payton had interest in settling down either in Dallas or Los Angeles, where no coaching vacancy currently exists. Mike McCarthy leads the Cowboys into a wild-card game Monday night in Tampa Bay. Sean McVay told the Rams last week that he has decided to return next season.

But the other Los Angeles team -- the Chargers -- blew a 27-point lead Saturday night in Jacksonville to get eliminated from the playoffs by the Jaguars, possibly putting Brandon Staley’s job in jeopardy.

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