Campbell fired up to be back with Saints as assistant coach

Dan Campbell's run as an NFL head coach didn't last as long as he would have liked, but he's excited to be in a new position with his old team.

The New Orleans Saints hired Campbell as an assistant head coach to Sean Payton in January, following his 12-game stint as interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins last season.

"To me, it was a pretty easy sell," Campbell told ESPN's Mike Triplett. "And the biggest factor was Coach Payton. I know who he is, I know what he’s about. And hey, man, he’s proven himself as a coach,"

Campbell had an eight-year career as a player in the NFL before entering the realm of coaching.

He played tight end under Payton with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003-2005, and signed with the Saints in 2009. He missed the regular season after suffering an injury in training camp, but returned in the playoffs to help his team en route to winning Super Bowl XLIV, before retiring.

The 40-year-old has enjoyed his second stint with the Saints organization and wants to help return the team to its former winning ways.

"I’d be lying if I didn’t say (the assistant head coach title) had something to do with," said Campbell. At the same time, I’m just happy to be here. And I was happy to get the opportunity to coach under Coach Payton and be part of the Saints again because it’s a winning organization.

“Anybody can say what you want; the last couple years haven't been the way everybody wants. But I know where this team is headed and I know who’s at the top, and that was the biggest deciding factor."

He's impressed players and coaches with his intensity and background as a player, including his head coach, who expects big things from Campbell.

"I think he’s a real good teacher,” Payton said. “I think he’s tough. I think he’s extremely talented. ... I think he’s someone that will be a head coach in our league."