Former Saints LB gives Sean Payton hilarious advice to succeed in broadcasting

Former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton got an earful from a player he used to coach, and their playful exchange ought to make any fan laugh.

Jonathan Vilma played linebacker for the Saints from 2008 to 2013 under Payton and has since pursued a successful career in media. Vilma enters his third year as an analyst for FOX alongside play-by-play announcer Kenny Albert and reporter Shannon Spake.

The longtime Saints linebacker was assigned to the Saints-Falcons Week 1 broadcast, and this year, he saw a familiar face join him in the booth.

Sean Payton, who was hired by FOX Sports earlier this year, joined Vilma's in-studio pregame show, and the two had a hilarious back-and-forth that included Vilma calling Payton a "jerk" of a coach.

We're sure it's all meant in good taste.

Jonathan Vilma takes a playful jab at former Saints coach Sean Payton

"Constipated" is certainly one way of putting it, though we'd argue most NFL coaches usually look, well, focused on the sidelines.

Vilma and Payton memorably won a Super Bowl together in 2009, and during that run Vilma served as the defensive captain and led the team in tackles with 110 total. Vilma retired after the 2013 season and was inducted into the franchise's Hall of Fame in 2017.

Vilma's career is a storied one, but so is Payton's. As Payton starts his own career in media, he would do well to listen to Vilma's advice; given his extensive football knowledge and coaching pedigree, though, Payton should do just fine in the booth.

Most of Vilma's Saints teammates have moved on except for the beloved Cam Jordan, but it's nice to see not one but two former Saints serving as analysts for NFL games.

In 2022, those two will hopefully share many more good times together off the field.