Sean Payton and Drew Brees should just retire

One could argue that Sean Payton personally lost the game last night.

ATLANTA -- The New Orleans Saints could have had one last chance to tie or win Thursday's game against the Atlanta Falcons, but a penalty on coach Sean Payton ended any hope the team had.

After the Saints defense stopped the Falcons on second down, with linebacker Michael Mauti forcing a fumble by Devonta Freeman but one Atlanta recovered, Payton tried to call the team's third and final timeout to stop the clock with about 1 minutes, 5 seconds remaining. But, the nearest official apparently didn't give Payton the timeout immediately, which led the coach to run onto the field and yell at the official.

The screaming resulted an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Saints' bench and gave the Falcons a first down that allowed them to run out the rest of the clock and seal a 20-17 victory.

"I called a timeout and then (the official) asked me again and I said, 'I've already called a timeout,'" Payton said after the game. "I probably said it with a little more oomph or vigor than I was supposed to, but I'd had enough. I got to be smarter than that."

Had Payton managed to restrain himself, the Saints could have ended up with the ball and about 20 seconds left to do something desperate. So maybe it's a bit far fetched to say he lost the game there. On the other hand, he did decide to throw the ball on 2nd and 10 down by three and in easy field goal range with timeouts left. It probably wasn't his idea to throw an interception at that point. But if it was, then it was a bad one.

But rather than worry about whether the loss last night was more the coach's or the quarterback's fault, I have a more interesting question.  Why does either of them still do this?  They've each played a long time and made all the money they'll ever need. They won a Superbowl together so there's not a compelling football reason to keep at it. Brees is 76 years old and yet he continues to subject his body to obscene physical punishment in full knowledge of the danger he is in.

Given all the injuries, it wasn't surprising quarterback Drew Brees didn't hold back when asked about playing after a short week of preparation.

"It's 100 percent a product of playing on Thursday night," Brees said. "You understand what guy's bodies go through in a game, and then to turn around four days later and play a game?

"Look at the injury studies. They're off the charts. Is this smart, as it pertains to guys' health and safety? No, absolutely not."

The NFL is a grueling bloodsport. It appropriates vast sums of public money into the hands of billionaires while grinding human bones, joints and brains into powder.  Brees is aware that he and so many others are fodder for this exploitation. He's among the lucky minority to make it through the abattoir with his financial security and (maybe) his health intact.  Why doesn't he just quit while he's ahead?

Payton doesn't face the same physical hazards but he does have a ridiculously stressful and demanding job. Especially so for someone who, again, has made a ton of money and attained the highest achievement possible.  Maybe he just enjoys the aggravation of a boss who persecutes subordinates when they question obvious incompetence.  

The NFL will evaluate New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton's conduct toward the referees in Thursday night's loss to the Atlanta Falcons, according to multiple reports.

It doesn't seem healthy, though.  Why do they keep doing these unhealthy jobs?