By not moving to get Sean Payton now, Jerry Jones…

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Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spent plenty of time during his latest twice-weekly appearance on 105.3 The Fan putting toothpaste he’d squirted everywhere last Friday back in the tube. But the decision to stick with coach Mike McCarthy carries an inevitable (and unspoken) caveat.

Next year, maybe Jerry will go after Sean Payton.

Maybe he will. Maybe he won’t. But if Jones is indeed thinking about hiring Payton later, Jones would be wise to consider doing it now.

Payton hasn’t said he definitely won’t coach in 2022. He said he doesn’t “plan” to. He’s more than smart enough to know that “plan” sends a message to anyone smart enough to receive it.

Plans change. Payton’s plan to not coach this year could change. And, surely, there’s a pile of cash large enough to make that happen.

To the extent Payton plans to come back next year or the year after, that plan could change, too. When Payton appeared Thursday with Dan Patrick, Payton seemed to agree with Dan’s position that a network will want more of a commitment from Payton than one year, especially if he’s thinking about working as a game analyst. Even without that dynamic, Payton could quickly realize that there’s plenty of money to be made — with far less stress experienced and far fewer total hours invested — in media.

Payton will be excellent. He’ll explain complex subjects in an understandable and entertaining way. He’ll be fun to listen to. During his 90-minute press conference earlier this week, I never thought, “Man, will he ever shut up?”

Thus, he could do more than games. He could do a one-, two-, or three-hour show during which he talks about the game, from all angles and in all aspects. To the extent he’s willing to speak candidly and critically, he can help everyone understand why certain mistakes were made, by coaches, players, officials, anyone.

And with sports books ready to make it rain on anyone and everyone who can create compelling content that draws a crowd, Payton could supplement a Sunday gig at a network with a weekday show.

Believed to be earning more than $15 million per year in New Orleans, Payton could make as much or more as the NFL’s next media star. Even if he doesn’t match his prior W-2 total, he could make enough that it doesn’t make sense, dollar for dollar, to go back to coaching.

Payton admits that his future is undetermined. He seems to like it that way, at least for now. But if Jones wants to secure Payton as coach of the Saints in the future, there’s no time like the present to make it happen. Once Payton gets a taste of the money he can earn without the non-stop grind of coaching, he may never go back.