Saints' head coach Sean Payton is under fire after making 'choking' gesture at an opposing player

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• Saints' head coach Sean Payton made a "choking" gesture towards Falcons running back Devonta Freeman in teh fourth quarter of Thursday night's game.
• After the game, Payton denied the incident while Freeman laughed it off.
• Payton would turn out to be the one that choked the game away, picking up a costly unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that would seal the loss for the Saints.

Saints' head coach Sean Payton is under fire after making a "choking" gesture at Falcons running back Devonta Freeman during Thursday night's game.

The gesture came with 12 minutes left to play in the fourth quarter, with the Saints holding on to a seven-point lead. Freeman took a carry for no-gain and was brought down close to the Saints sideline, at which point Payton made the gesture and appeared to say the word "choke" towards Freeman several times. The gesture appears to be a reference to the Falcons blown Super Bowl lead against the Patriots last season.

You can watch the moment play out below.

In a peculiar twist, Payton denied that he ever made the gesture while speaking with reporters after the game, saying simply, "I don't remember that. I don't remember that."

For his part, Freeman said he did remember the incident, but was able to laugh the whole thing off after Atlanta walked away with the win. 

"That man don't know nothing about choking," Freeman said. "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.''

As it would turn out, it was Payton who would be the one to choke on Thursday night. After getting frustrated with an official in the final minute of the game with the Saints needing a stop, Payton got called for unsportsmanlike conduct, giving the Falcons the first down they needed to seal the game after a fourth quarter.

With the win, the Falcons move just a game behind the Saints for the lead in the NFC South, with the two teams set to meet again in just two weeks in New Orleans.