By the time you get to this point in the playoffs, you’d assume players would be sufficiently motivated.

A little push never hurts though.

The New Orleans Saints are the No. 1 seed in the NFC and the favorite to win the Super Bowl. Saints coach Sean Payton wanted to let his team know exactly what three more wins would mean.

According to a story from New Orleans bankruptcy attorney Jon DeTrinis, and confirmed by ESPN’s Mike Triplett and others, Payton made a grand entrance into the Saints’ locker room as they prepare to face the Philadelphia Eagles in a divisional round playoff game on Sunday:

Triplett reported that running back Mark Ingram said the story was true, and the players “got a kick out of it.”

Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate said the actual sum Payton brought to the locker room was $201,000. Players earn money for each playoff win, and the winner’s share for the Super Bowl last season was $112,000. The sum for three playoff wins this season will be $201,000, Underhill said.

It’s the kind of move that can’t hurt. It might fire up the Saints. And if it works and the Saints win their second Super Bowl, the story of Payton and armed guards wheeling in almost a quarter-million in cash and the Lombardi Trophy will reach legendary status.

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Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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