Born in 1997, Sean Payton‘s daughter spent her early years watching her father craft a legacy in New Orleans. By the time she enrolled at Pepperdine University in 2015 to study sports journalism and media production, she wasn’t just chasing a degree; she was laying the groundwork for her own spotlight. Her career arc isn’t just impressive, it’s been intentional.

Since graduating, she’s stitched together a resume that reads like a media veteran’s highlight reel: analyst roles with Fox Sports, digital stints at SportsGrid and The Action Network, and most recently as a host for FanDuel TV. Let’s not forget the 2020 Emmy for her behind-the-scenes work on the NFL Network’s NFL 100 series. That wasn’t luck, it was years of hard work and persistence.

On June 18, she left behind the $48 billion media giant, FanDuel (rather, parent company Flutter Entertainment PLC) and signed on as Brand Marketing & Content Strategist for Darren Rovell’s fast‑rising Cllct Media. She also confirmed the move by tweeting, “Couldn’t be more exited to join the team!!” Why does any of this matter to football folk? Cllct wants to be the bridge between memorabilia money and media moments.

The name Payton will also bring viewers and buyers to the new company she just joined. Even on Wednesday, she joked with 2 friends, who were excited to swap their jerseys. More than just a reporter, she now dons dual roles of working on the scripts in the background and in front of the lens. She’s not interested in sideline fluff or coasting on her last name. She’s building her own lane, and if the past few years are any indication, she’s got the range to run it all.

In her journalistic journey, her father helped her with all the resources he had. He has been her support all her life.

Sean Payton paved the way for his daughter’s success

It wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that Meghan grew up in the NFL circles. She grew up in the thick of NFL life, first in Dallas and New York, later deeply rooted in New Orleans, where Sean Payton became a fixture for 15 seasons. She saw the wins, the losses, and the packed Superdome Sundays. But through it all, their father-daughter bond stayed steady, a quiet constant behind the chaos of pro football.

That dynamic came full circle in 2016, when Meghan, then just a college intern, interviewed her father on national TV for NFL Total Access. Her line of questioning? Sean laughed about it later, calling it surreal. “My Lake Tahoe trip got cut short,” he joked. But the pride in his eyes said everything else. “It was harder to interview my dad than I thought,” Meghan later reflected. “You already know so much about someone, but that made it harder, not easier.”

Since then, Sean has been her biggest cheerleader. Sean didn’t just celebrate her Emmy 2020 win; he told reporters, family, and anyone who would listen. When she landed reporting gigs with Fox Sports, FanDuel TV, and most recently Cllct Media, Sean watched closely, not as a coach, but as a dad beaming with pride. And she’s returned the support.

During his 2022 retirement, Meghan publicly voiced appreciation for the family time they were finally getting. When he unretired to coach the Broncos in 2023, she was back on the sidelines, not just covering the league, but also covering her story.