Midway through the Saints' morning practice on Wednesady, a plane flew over the field toting the banner, “FREE PAYTON.” Around and around it circled, about 10 times before leaving near the end of the workout.
Saints coach Sean Payton, whom NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended for the season for his role in the bounty scandal, has not been allowed to communicate with the team since April.
When safety Roman Harper noticed the plane, he got the attention of fans in the stands at the practice facility and yelled jokingly that he had paid for it.
After an offseason filled with distractions, the Saints have welcomed the sanctuary of the practice field, but the bounty issue and others have been hovering over them amid a lawsuit filed by current and ex-Saints players disputing the findings of the NFL’s investigation.
Owner Tom Benson met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday to talk about issues relating to the team and the league. On Monday, the Louisiana state police announced they had uncovered no evidence supporting allegations from an ESPN television report in April that Superdome wiring was set up to allow general manager Mickey Loomis to monitor opposing coaches’ radio communications from 2002 to 2004.
Quarterback Drew Brees criticized Goodell at the start of training camp in an interview with Peter King of Sports Illustrated, then said he did not mean anything personal when he talked after practice a few days later.
Like Harper, Brees noticed the banner.
“I thought it was creative,” he said. “I want to know who did it.”
Asked if he would contribute to a fund paying for the plane and the banner, Brees said "yes."
“If there’s a team something that we want to do, I will always chip in,” he said. “Not what people would probably try to push that to mean, but if it’s a legal and funny thing like that, yeah, I’d do it.”
Saints interim coach Joe Vitt said he never saw the plane.
Follow Saints correspondent Guerry Smith on Twitter @CBSSportsNFLNO.
