‘Home Team’ True Story: What To Know About Sean Payton, the NFL Coach Behind the Kevin James Movie

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There are plenty of movies nowadays are based on a true story, but usually, those true stories are inspiring dramas about growing up in the ’70s or loving biopics that highlight a cultural icon. Rarely are they jovial Adam Sandler-produced comedies starring Kevin James as a professional football coach who is most famous for being involved in a plot to injure players. And yet, that’s exactly what Netflix’s Home Teama comedy based on the true story of Sean Payton that began streaming today—is.

Of course, this Happy Madison film does not get into the nitty-gritty “Bountygate” scandal that Payton and the New Orleans Saints are famous for. Instead, it focuses on a father-son story between Payton (played by Kevin James) and his son Connor (played by Tait Blum). You see, while he was suspended from the NFL for a year, Payton ended up coaching his son’s middle school football team.

It may be an odd choice for a comedy, but it’s too weird not to be true. For those unfamiliar with the Sean Payton controversy, read on to find out more about the Home Team true story.

IS HOME TEAM BASED ON A TRUE STORY?

Yes. Home Team is based on the true story of NFL head coach Sean Payton, played by Kevin James in the movie.

WHO IS KEVIN JAMES’ CHARACTER, SEAN PAYTON?

Payton has been the head coach of the New Orleans Saints since 2006. In April 2012, he was suspended from his position for the entire 2012 season, due to his involvement in the New Orleans Saints “bounty” scandal, in which members of the New Orleans team were accused of paying out bonuses, or bounties, for purposefully injuring opposing players on the field in order to knock them out of the game. NFL investigators concluded that from 2009 to 2011, the Saints were offering these cash bonus bounties to players.

According to The New York Times, it was the first time the NFL ever suspended a head coach for any length of time. Payton appealed the suspension but was denied. While he was not banned from communicating with his players, he was not allowed to “coach from home.” Payton was re-instated as the Saints head coach in January 2013. In a statement, NFL commissioner Roger Gooddell said that Payton “fully complied with all the requirements imposed on him during his suspension. More important, it is clear that Sean understands and accepts his responsibilities as a head coach and the vital role that coaches play in promoting player safety and setting an example for how the game should be played at all levels.”

In his own statement, Payton said, “I am thankful today Commissioner Goodell has granted me reinstatement. As I stated back in March, I, along with Mickey Loomis, take full responsibility for all aspects of our football program. I clearly recognize that mistakes were made, which led to league violations.”

Kevin James Sean Payton
Photos: Getty Images

But some football fans weren’t quite so quick to forgive Payton. When Netflix first released the Home Team trailer in December, some NFL fans took to Twitter to voice their displeasure with a movie making light of Payton’s transgressions. (In addition to Bountygate, Payton was involved in another scandal—though Payton was not accused by name, in 2020 the New Orleans Saints executives went to court to keep emails private, which, according to a report from AP News, allegedly showed that Saints executives helped the area’s Roman Catholic archdiocese do PR damage control in the wake of a sexual abuse scandal.)

Netflix has not addressed the controversy. However, in an interview for the film’s press notes, co-writer of the Home Team screenplay Chris Titone (who is also producer Adam Sandler’s brother-in-law) briefly spoke on the reason for Payton’s suspension. Titone said, “As a head coach, he took responsibility for anything and everything that took place under his command. He stepped up and did the right thing.”

Payton really did become the offensive coach for his son’s middle school football team during his suspension. In that same interview, Titone said while changes were made to play up the team’s losing record for comedy, other elements were true. “I wanted all the names to be real,” Titone said. “It was important to me because once the names are the same, we have real life people to pull from when we’re searching for character. My sister, Jackie Sandler, actually does dress like real-life Beth in the movie. Sean Payton really is that funny. Harlan was, and still is, Connor’s best friend. The Porcupines really were twice the size of the Warriors.”

WHERE IS SEAN PAYTON NOW?

Just this week, Payton announced he was retiring from his position as head coach of the New Orleans Saints, after a 16-year run. There is some speculation that Payton might be in the running as a potential coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

“I don’t know what’s next,” Payton said in a news conference on Tuesday. “I don’t like the word retirement. I still have a vision for doing things in football, and I’ll be honest, it might be in coaching. It might be, but it’s not where my heart is right now.”

Watch Home Team on Netflix