The football world was rattled on Monday when NBC Sports’ Peter King reported that the comedian and actor Kevin James has been cast to portray Saints coach Sean Payton in an upcoming Netflix feature, which is expected to chronicle Payton’s experience coaching his son’s Pop Warner team during his 2012 suspension from the NFL. Observers on Twitter have been letting react gifs and jokes fly fast and furious, including a terrific parry by the Saints when the dirty-bird Falcons tried to get in a dig:
The longest running show in Atlanta https://t.co/QDpZlCxyF5 pic.twitter.com/Zf1L2nQT8h
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) April 12, 2021
We’re also glossing over the fact that Sean Payton committed to CrossFit the year he was suspended. Will Kevin James channel Christian Bale and get shredded for this Netflix movie?
— Evan Saacks (@evansaacks) April 12, 2021
Man what? Lol https://t.co/aZSH0ht5Cv
— Ryan (@datboywolf) April 12, 2021
Kevin James playing Sean Payton in a movie is elite-level bad casting.
Can’t wait for the movie about Joe Judge starring Charlie Sheen.
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) April 12, 2021
$14 a month for Sean Payton vanity project movies that have clearly been cast by an alcoholic
— Drew Magary (@drewmagary) April 12, 2021
Why cast Kevin James in the Sean Payton Netflix movie when Kenny Chesney is right there? In a different hat. pic.twitter.com/nbQ46ZeWUC
— Karen DaltonBeninato (@kbeninato) April 12, 2021
Kevin James could call an ambush onside kick to start the second half of a Super Bowl, but Sean Payton could never play Doug Heffernan https://t.co/ME8UVcf98z
— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) April 12, 2021
They look…. similar? Kinda? https://t.co/6f5tCYCmOj
— FOX 8 New Orleans (@FOX8NOLA) April 12, 2021
Kevin James doesn't have to look like that coach to play him in a movie. Both Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino played Jimmy Hoffa in movies. Neither looked like him. And nobody said shit. (One of those movies was pre-Twitter, but still.)
— Doug Benson's Comedy Sesh at 4:20 PST on 4/20/21 (@DougBenson) April 12, 2021
just imagine, they actually make a movie about your life and you're like "oh wow, who did they get to play me?" and the answer is Paul Blart: Mall Cop https://t.co/92YpQ8yEPa
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) April 12, 2021
Who asked for this..? https://t.co/3IsEI4vQ7P
— Will (@WillHayes_24) April 12, 2021
SEAN PAYTON: It's the third quarter of the big game and we're down by 3. My boy's twisted his ankle and we're up against it. I need a volunteer to play quarterback as inspiring music swells in the background.
A 25-YEAR-OLD TAYSOM HILL: Whatever helps the team win, coach https://t.co/EHGZn8F2Wt
— The Falcoholic (@TheFalcoholic) April 12, 2021
How could they cast Kevin James as Sean Payton when Frankie Munoz needs the work? #saints pic.twitter.com/KK90BLlz3b
— Saints Happy Hour Podcast (@SaintsHappyHour) April 12, 2021
You know Payton is so mad Billy Beane got Brad Pitt and he got Paul Blart https://t.co/iov1zwFzDi
— Cory Gunkel (@CoryGunkel) April 12, 2021
