New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton has insisted that he will not leave the franchise at the end of the current season.

The Saints have endured a disappointing year and speculation has suggested that Payton has had a strained relationship with defensive co-ordinator Rob Ryan.

However, he remains adamant that he will not step down from his job at the end of the season and will continue to coach the Saints.

"No way," Payton said, according to The Times-Picayune.

"You have to consider the source."

The MMQB's Peter King had suggested that as coaches enter their ninth year in charge of a team, questions would start being asked if their messages were still getting across to the players.