National Football League

Report: Saints' Payton expresses frustration with gun laws

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:44 p.m. ET

foxsports

NEW ORLEANS (AP) New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton made clear that he's unhappy with the current status of gun laws in America following the shooting death of former Saints defensive lineman Will Smith.

Payton said ''I hate guns'' in an interview with USA Today Sports and added that the idea that everybody needs a gun is ''madness.''

Smith, 34, was killed on Saturday night after an argument following a traffic accident in New Orleans.

Payton says he drove to the scene of the shooting at 5:45 a.m. on Sunday because he was unable to sleep. The coach says he doesn't have extremely liberal political views and will often ''find myself leaning to the right on some issues. But on this issue, I can't wrap my brain around it.''