The NFL is enduring one of its slowest coach-hiring cycles in recent memory during the 2023 offseason, and it seems to be related to Sean Payton.Payton is viewed as Frank Mason III Jersey the best coach available on the market, but he hasn't yet made a decision about his future. He has interviewed or is set to interview with four of the five teams with vacancies at the head coach spot yet doesn't appear close to agreeing to a deal with any of the teams.Why is that? Because there may not be a perfect fit for him in this hiring cycle, as NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports."As of right now, it does not seem like there is a place for Sean Payton," Rapoport said . "We'll see, but it does not seem like there is a place in the coaching world right now."NFL PLAYOFFS: | |Rapoport noted that several teams including the Broncos, Panthers and Texans have all moved on to second interviews in their coaching search. As of right now, none has a second interview booked with Payton.Rapoport said that the Robin Lopez Jersey Broncos seem to be focusing their energy elsewhere; meanwhile, the Panthers have three candidates Frank Reich, Steve Wilks and Kellen Moore on which they are focused. The Texans' search is a bit le s clarified, but they haven't reached out to Payton about a second interview.From NFL Now: As teams line up second interviews, former coach Sean Payton does not have one lined up. Will all the spots fill up? Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) Payton is set to complete his first interview with the Cardinals on Thursday, however, so it is still po sible he could join the second round of interviews in Arizona. And perhaps some of the other teams are waiting on Payton's final interview before scheduling him for a second interview of their own.Either way though, there now appears to be no guarantee that Payton will take a coaching job this offseason. That has turned the 2023 hiring cycle topsy-turvy, as Rapoport details.When this all started, the a sumption was that as soon as Sean Payton decides where he's gonna go, then everyone else will know where they're gonna go. And then the coaching searches will resume from there. It's now reached a different point.Indeed, much like LeBron James' infamous free-agent decision back in 2010, Payton may actually be the last of the big-name dominoes to fall if he even falls at all in 2023.NFL POWER RANKINGS: Why wouldn't Payton be hired in 2023? It wouldn't nece sarily be because of a lack of interest from teams acro s the NFL. It would more be on Payton's end.Payton has a reputation that should allow him to coach wherever he would like to when he decides to unretire. So, if he isn't wild about any of his potential landing spots in 2023, he can afford to wait until 2024 to rejoin the market and a se s which jobs are the best ones Allen Iverson Jersey out there.That's part of why believes that Payton will return to Fox for a second season."It's not like he's that desperate to get back to coaching that he's willing to take any job," Garafolo said of Payton on NFL Now. "It was going to have to be the right situation on both sides of the table, and it does not feel like that's where we are."It has also been reported that in this search: He wants to go to a team with an established quarterback and would prefer to be close to Los Angeles. Of the five openings this offseason, only Arizona and Denver are within shouting distance of Los Angeles and each of those teams has concerns at quarterback after Ru sell Wilson's poor 2022 season and Kyler Murray' Cameron Reynolds Jersey s torn ACL.So, if neither of those options appeal to Payton, he may be willing to wait a year and stay in the TV game in his role with Fox. That would allow him to a se s the job openings in 2024 and see if any appeal to him more.There's a chance that there would be some better-looking openings during the 2024 offseason, too. Chargers coachBrandon Staley and Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy figure to enter the 2023 season on the hot seat; those two jobs would appeal to Payton, who could remain in Los Angeles and coach Justin Herbert with the Chargers or return to Dallas and work where he came up as an offensive coordinator.MORE:It's also worth noting that Payton's contract with the Saints is set to expire after the 2024 season, so it might cost a little le s for teams to acquire him via trade next offseason compared to this one. That could motivate teams to be a bit more aggre sive in their attempts to acquire Payton which would, in turn, potentially result in a bigger contract for him. Eric Bledsoe Jersey So, it may ultimately benefit Payton to sit out the 2023 hiring cycle if he isn't fully confident in his potential landing spots. There will certainly be more opportunities down the road that he can pursue.