Sean Payton off the board - Saints say coach is not available

The Sean Payton bandwagon may have just broken both axles and lost its wheels. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the New Orleans Saints have decided to not make their head coach available to other teams this year. Schefter adds that Payton says his plan is to continue to be the head coach for the Saints. Many Miami Dolphins fans had hoped the team would pursue Payton this year to fill Miami's head coaching vacancy.

Technically, coaches cannot be traded between teams, but draft pick compensation can be sent from a team that hires a new coach to a team that allows that coach to break his contract in order to take the new job.

Earlier reports had indicated the Saints would consider a second-round draft pick for Payton. Separate reports also indicated the Dolphins were one of the teams considering Payton as a potential target in their coaching search.

Payton is 87-57 in nine years as the Saints' head coach. He was suspended for the entire 2012 season as a part of the league's "Bountygate" investigation. He is 6-4 all-time in the Playoffs, including Super Bowl XLIV in 2009. Payton has two years remaining on his contract with the Saints,