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Saints HC Sean Payton tests positive for COVID-19 for Week 15

The Saints will be without their head coach in Week 15.

Head coach Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints reacts against the Dallas Cowboys during a game at the the Caesars Superdome on December 02, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton is the latest person in the NFL world to test positive for COVID-19, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Payton will miss their game this Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will take over head coaching duties, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Allen is likely going to be a head coaching candidate for teams this off season, so this could give him a bit of experience.

Payton was one of the first people last season to test positive for COVID-19, so this isn’t his first rodeo. The Saints also played a game earlier in the season where they had very few coaches available due to the virus. They lost that game to00 the Carolina Panthers in Week 2 and did not play well. Hopefully with just Payton out, the coaches will have a better grip on their specific units and they’ll be better than in Week 2.