National Football League

Brock Purdy's case for Rookie of Year; Sean Payton's future: Cheat Sheet

Updated Feb. 16, 2023 3:50 p.m. ET

In the five days after the culmination of the NFL's regular season and the start of the NFL playoffs, 50 members of the media fill out anonymous ballots for all the postseason awards. I do not have a vote. As an NFL Network employee, I never wanted anything I said or did on the league network held against me when voting results were revealed or brought up. So I sit this thing out. Year after year, I have no say in who wins the actual awards. But not having a vote also allows me to be very vocal with no agenda and no impact on the actual voting.

I can't go on Twitter this week because my timeline is a mess. A week after we saw the good and the light and the power of positive vibes on social media, I've gotten quite the opposite reaction for my stance that Brock Purdy is the 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year. Who knew this would be such a hot-button take? Who knew that Purdy OROY advocacy would match the vitriol and blowback that even our hottest takes on FS1 receive? Everyone in the NFL has seemingly weighed in, including a befuddled tweet from last year's Defensive Rookie of the Year, Micah Parsons.

But here's the thing (as I sound like Alec Baldwin) I stand behind it, because I believe it. What Brock Purdy has done over the last six weeks has eclipsed the fine accomplishments of his fellow rookies. Purdy has stepped in, after spending no practice reps with the No. 1 unit in the first 13 weeks of the season, and has not only played well, but elevated his team and his offense. Purdy is the first rookie quarterback to win his first five starts since Ben Roethlisberger did it in 2004. Roethlisberger was a first-round pick who was always expected to be the man. Purdy was the last selection in the entire 2022 NFL Draft.

Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Kenneth Walker III and Isiah "Pops" Pacheco have all been fantastic in their rookie seasons. They've all performed at high levels. I won't blink if any of them win the award. But I think being dropped into the QB1 spot for a Super Bowl-contending roster made up of veterans — and making the offense better than it was with the expected QB1 and the guy who took the team to a Super Bowl in 2019 — is as incredible a feat as we've seen from any first-year player this year.

He only played in 5 games. But he won all five of those games, the 49ers beat multiple playoff teams in those games and his numbers were better than the two quarterbacks who preceded him. San Francisco is the No. 2 seed in the NFC because of a great defense, a talented offense and an elite coaching staff. Do they get there if the No. 3 quarterback doesn't step in flawlessly and guide the ship? The award is being voted on as we speak. This isn't sensationalist talk. I not only think he should win it, but think he might.

The unsung heroes of the Buffalo staff

I had an awesome chat with Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane on my podcast "The Season with Peter Schrager" this week, and the focus was on the unsung heroes of the Bills organization.

So many individuals are responsible for the incredible response to the Damar Hamlin moment, and yet, there are only so many whose names will ever be known. I was so happy that Brandon took the time to shout many of them out. One who needs a mention here is Bills assistant athletic trainer Tabani Richards. Tabani was the Bills staffer who rode in the ambulance to the hospital with Hamlin and hasn't left his side since. Beane says that no matter where Damar has been, Tabani has been there, as well. He's the one who set up the Zoom session for the Bills players and Damar last Friday. When Damar flew to Buffalo, Tabani was, of course, there, and when they landed, Tabani didn't go home, shower and get a good meal after an excruciating five days in Cincinnati. He went right to the hospital in Buffalo to be with Hamlin. That's special stuff.

Beane knows about a dozen staffers with similar stories who will never get the glow they probably deserve. But these stories are important, and as Buffalo continues on this postseason, I sure hope they are shared more and more.

Sean Payton watch

I had dinner with my FOX NFL Kickoff colleagues Sean Payton and Charissa Thompson last Saturday night. That put me in the surreal position of having dinner with someone while every TV screen around us showed footage of him in Saints gear , followed by B-Roll (industry term) of Russell Wilson.

The truth is, the Denver Broncos won't be alone in seeking Payton's services as their head coach. I am certain in the coming days or weeks, multiple teams with coaching vacancies — perhaps all of them — will request the opportunity to interview Payton from the New Orleans Saints. And Coach may want to sign right up and come back. But he also may not. I sincerely believe the situation has to be right. And why is that? Because Payton's situation is really good right now.

Sean Payton on what he'd need before jumping back into coaching

On "FOX NFL Kickoff", Sean Payton spoke about the recent inquiries of teams around the NFL interested in making him their next head coach.

He lives with his wife in a lovely rental in Los Angeles. He walks his dogs. He plays golf. His daughter and her fiancee are a stone's throw away. He works with us at FOX and gets the thrill of talking sports and spending Sundays around colleagues who live and breathe football, as well. He also has weekdays off, works normal hours and can go to Cabo, Fort Worth, Idaho, Hawaii, Japan, Italy or wherever else during the offseason.

He misses the thrill of the competition and the spirit of the game, but I think he can be picky and I think he will. Do these jobs interest him? Yes. They all do. But with so few vacancies this year compared to last, you'd have to imagine there may be even more in 2024. Would he be any worse for the wear if he waited a year? I think Payton means it when he says he's happy here. I wouldn't be shocked either way.

The Ben Johnson sweepstakes

Though Sean Payton is the belle of the ball, Ben Johnson may be the more realistic and affordable coach teams are after this month. I think the Lions offensive coordinator is going to interview for most — if not all — of the NFL head coaching vacancies in the coming days. Johnson is an interesting candidate because he's 36 years old and feels like he came out of nowhere.

That's not fair to Johnson, who has years of experience going back to Miami as a wide receivers coach and tight ends coach. I also think it's worth noting that Johnson is viewed as a master communicator. Quarterback Jared Goff, head coach Dan Campbell and countless other Lions players and coaches have raved about the way he connects with players. Johnson was a quarterback at North Carolina and majored in mathematics. Smart dude, cool dude, innovative dude and an offensive coach — something teams covet in this era. I'd be surprised if Johnson doesn't land one of the open gigs.

Hmm...

Tyler "Snoop" Huntley, Skylar Thompson, Brock Purdy, Geno Smith and Daniel Jones are all starting playoff games this weekend. Find me any pundit anywhere who had even one of them playing in a postseason game before the season started. The NFL is a beautiful mystery. It's why I love it.

Peter Schrager is an NFL writer for FOX Sports and a host of "Good Morning Football" on NFL Network. You can follow him on Twitter at @PSchrags.

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