Saints head coach raised a few eyebrows when he made a choking gesture toward Falcons running back Devonta Freeman during their game Thursday night in Atlanta.

Payton’s gesture happened early in the fourth quarter after Freeman was stopped for no gain.


"Man, I saw it,'' Freeman told reporters. "That man don't know nothing about choking. He ain't from where I'm from. He don't know about choking. He's a good competitor. The 'competes' probably came out. But we don't let that bother me. He don't know nothing about choking.''
The Falcons later scored a touchdown on the drive and ultimately won, 20-17.
Many assume the gesture was in reference to Atlanta blowing a 28-3 lead in last year’s Super Bowl against the Patriots, but when asked about the gesture Payton said, "I don't remember that. I don't remember that."


Freeman said Payton was barking up the wrong tree if he was trying to get in his head.
"He ain't going to get it off me,” Freeman said (via ESPN.com). “I’m a different animal. He's tripping. But, it's all good