Jerry Jones on Sean Payton rumors: What rumors?

[Rowdy]

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Sean Payton owes Jerry Jones a surcharge from his new contract. Or maybe he owes the media.

The Saints coach agreed to a five-year contract last week, putting him under contract with the team for the next six years. Perhaps coincidentally, perhaps not, it came after rumors persisted about the Cowboys’ interest in Payton.

Payton, a former Cowboys assistant, remains close to owner Jerry Jones, and Cowboys coach Jason Garrett is in the final year of his contract.

“I know this: I think a lot of that organization, Mickey [Loomis] and everybody involved there, Ms. [Gayle] Benson,” Jones said Sunday after the Cowboys’ victory over the Dolphins. “Nothing surprising about that. They recognize everything that Sean is about positively, which is what he’s about. Doesn’t surprise me at all that they want to keep him there. He’s a big part of the fabric of New Orleans.”

Payton’s new deal should put to rest those rumors for a few years anyway. Right?

“What rumors?” Jones said, smiling.

During Ezekiel Elliott‘s contract holdout, Jones had uttered, “Zeke who?” when asked about Elliott. The Cowboys now are selling “Zeke Who?” T-shirts with proceeds going to The Salvation Army.

“We really are over in that tampering area,” Jones said. “You know that, don’t you?”

The Cowboys and Saints play on Sunday Night Football next week.