1:23 PM PT -- Payton just provided a little more clarity on his situation at a farewell press conference Tuesday ... saying even though he's stepping away from the game right now, he could return to the sidelines at a later date.
"I still have a vision for doing things in football," Payton told reporters. "I'll be honest with you, that might be coaching again at some point."
"I don't think it's this year," he added. "Maybe in the future. But, that's not where my heart is right now. It's not at all."
As for if Payton could be calling games from a broadcasting booth this season ... he said that's something that interests him, though he told media members he hasn't gotten any offers to do it just yet.
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.
Originally Published -- 11:03 AM PT