Sean Payton returns to New Orleans to face the Saints on Thursday night for the first time since they parted ways after the 2021 season.

He brings his 3-3 Denver Broncos to town to kick off Week 7 looking to avoid the kind of slide that the Saints find themselves on.

Payton returns to New Orleans on Thursday after 16 years with the SaintsGetty

Denver were beaten by AFC West rivals Los Angeles last time out after a run of three successive wins.

In contrast, two dominating wins from their opening two games have been followed by four straight defeats for New Orleans, with an injury to quarterback Derek Carr adding to the issues.

Rookie Spencer Rattler, who started in Week 6, will be under center again on Thursday night, having featured in the 51-27 defeat to Tampa Bay last time out.

But how Saints fans will wish they had a QB of yesteryear to turn to in Carr’s absence. In what could be seen as a near-perfect script, there will indeed be one inside the building.

Drew Brees will be inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame at half-time, celebrating his remarkable impact on the franchise and the city.

The legendary QB was a 15-year team captain and led New Orleans to nine playoff appearances, seven division titles, including four consecutive from 2017-2020, and Super Bowl XLIV, where he was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

He did it all alongside Payton, who’s presence on the visiting sideline is expected to make for an emotional night inside the Caesars Superdome.

After sharing 15 years together in New Orleans as star player and coach, the immense respect that both men have for each other is clear, and will add another layer to drama that will unfold in prime time on Thursday night.

“Throughout his career, his consistency and dedication to excellence were unparalleled,” Payton said of Brees back in 2021, after the NFL legend announced his retirement.

“In a very short period of time, he would help lead a region to recovery and a team to a Super Bowl Championship. He was a magnificent leader both on and off the field.

“His attention to detail and competitive spirit were infectious. For all of us that have had the chance to coach him, it has been our privilege, we are better for it.”

Ahead of his Hall of Fame ceremony, Brees recalled how Payton won him over in their first-ever meeting during his free agency visit almost two decades ago.

“Sean Payton immediately gets on the blackboard and starts drawing up my offense from San Diego,” he recalled

“And I said, ‘Well, wait a minute. I thought we ran the West Coast offense and you know that’s your style.’ He said, ‘No, we’re building this thing around you. So, we’re taking everything that you’re good at and we’re going to put you in the best position to succeed, and we’re going to do this together.’

“So right off the bat, it was like, wow. I thought a first time head coach coming in with all this pressure and all these expectations and so much to prove, I thought it would have been a my-way-or-the-highway approach all the way, but it was it was much different. He was making it a collaboration and he instilled a ton of confidence in me right away.”

As is the nature of sports, all the success that Payton and Brees shared in New Orleans will likely be forgotten by fans for at least a few hours, as the Broncos head coach steps into the Superdome as the enemy.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of flowers and warm fuzzies for yours truly, and I get it,” Payton said, previewing the game.

In Brees, Payton had a quarterback that drove success for 15 seasons in New Orleans.

But in Denver it’s a different story and with rookie Bo Nix under center, the head coach may need to lean on his defense, which settled down in the second half of last week’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers, despite a 23-16 defeat.

Brees will be honoured for his legendary Saints career on ThursdayGetty Images – Getty

NFL analyst Jason Bell believes Denver’s defense could be key to the team’s successGetty Images

NFL analyst Jason Bell believes defense could be key to Denver’s success, but they have been dealt a blow as cornerback Pat Surtain II will miss the trip to New Orleans after failing to clear concussion protocol.

“I want to talk about that [Broncos] defense,” Bell told talkSPORT.

“My goodness those corners: Surtain, Riley. I love what I’m seeing on that defense. Patrick Surtain Junior, the way he is playing on the outside….to me, he’s the number one corner in the game. I remember playing against his dad. So he’s got the genes, right?

“I love watching him play. I love watching Riley Moss on the other side. That’s a stronghold of defense when you can cover on the outside. It allows you to do a lot of stuff.

Rookie Nix has also been praised by BellGetty

“And Bo Nix, I mean you got Sean Payton. You’re going to operate on a high level. It’s going to be game plan specific. He has a lot of experience. So it always gives you a chance.

“It’s going to be tough, man, New Orleans, it’s a lot. Nobody wants to lose this game. So it’s going to be interesting. But I really like the way this defense is playing.”

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