MOBILE, Ala. -- In the middle of the season, a report surfaced on ESPN about a clause in Sean Payton's contract that prevented him from signing an extension with the New Orleans Saints. Rumors began flying that Payton could become the Dallas Cowboys' next head coach.

At the time of the rumors/report, the Cowboys were coming off a 19-13 loss to the Atlanta Falcons that dropped them to 3-5.

It seemed that if Jason Garrett couldn't fix things, he could be let go and Payton would take over.

Payton's contract with the Saints did eventually get resolved, and Wednesday he made it clear he had no intention of leaving New Orleans.

"There was no way I was going to another team," Payton said in his first public statements since getting reinstated after the bounty scandal. "The issue was a minor technicality. There was a minor clause, (the media) had it right, there was a minor clause in there that wasn't approved. What became more challenging really, was being out of the building and then trying to work through the specifics to get the contract done."