Greasy Neale Award

Pro Coach of the Year

When the Maxwell Football Club decided that they would give an Award for the Outstanding Pro Coach of the Year, the name that came to everyone's mind was Earle "Greasy" Neale.

The winner of the 21st Annual Earle "Greasy" Neale Award for Professional Coach of the Year is New Orleans head coach, Sean Payton.

Facts about Payton

Payton, who also won Coach of the Year honors in 2006, has overseen the NFL’s top ranked offense in both points scored (31.9 points per game) and yards gained (403.8 yards per game).

Payton’s’ success with quarterbacks extends well beyond his work with Brees. During his three years as an assistant head coach with Dallas, three different starting quarterback under his guidance passed for over 3,000 yards (Drew Bledsoe (2005, Vinny Testaverde 2004, Quincy Carter 2003). To find success in New Orleans however, Payton had to change a whole culture. Brees explained after his first season in the Bayou. “A lot of these guys probably felt beaten down,” he said. “For Coach Payton to come in here and reverse that attitude, to make everybody on this team feel like he has a key role, that’s really something.”

Read more about Sean Payton...

Who Votes?

Voters for all Maxwell Professional Awards are NFL coaching staffs and football personnel, members of the Maxwell Football Club and the Pro Writers of America Association, and local media.