New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton took his medicine and added a nice gesture to boot.
Payton received a free couch from a Minnesota furniture company as a mocking gesture so he could watch Sunday's NFC Championship Game from home. The 54-year-old turned the jab into a positive, however, tweeting that both the couch and $25,000 would be donated to Children's Minnesota.
After International Design wrote on Twitter to "Let us know if you want to be comfy, coach," Payton offered the following response:
"Ok, enough already. I want the couch! But it's to be donated to (Children's Minnesota) along with 25k via The Thomas Morstead Foundation. Pulling for Zim and Vikings.#Skol#recovering Feeling better already."
Thomas Morstead's "What You Give Will Grow" charity earned more than $200,000 in donations this week after a Vikings fans suggested over social media that people should donate to the Saints punter's charity in appreciation for his playing through torn cartilage in his ribs.
Payton came under fire from Vikings fans after a series of photos posted on social media depicted the Saints coach using the "Skol" clap to celebrate his team's late lead in the NFC divisional-round playoff game.
"There was just a group of fans. It was good playoff fun," Payton told reporters on Tuesday.
That fun ended abruptly for Payton and the Saints, with rookie safety Marcus Williams' missed tackle allowing wide receiver Stefon Diggs to score on a 61-yard touchdown as time expired. The play sent the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles and -- by extension -- ended the Saints' season.
Payton came under fire for another gesture earlier this season, as the coach appeared to make a choking sign toward Atlanta running back Devonta Freeman in Week 14.
The move could be construed as rubbing additional salt in the wound after the Falcons squandered a 25-point lead in Super Bowl LI. The Patriots scored 31 unanswered points to post a 34-28 victory over the Falcons on Feb. 5.
Payton would say a few weeks later that his emotions got "the best of me."