Saints coach Sean Payton wheeled out the Lombardi trophy, a Super Bowl ring, and $200,000 of cash to motivate his players before the playoffs

Bill Kostroun/AP

• New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton had the Lombardi trophy, a Super Bowl ring, and over $200,000 in cash wheeled into the Saints locker room before the NFL playoffs began.
• The cash represented the bonus players make for winning the Super Bowl.
• Payton reportedly told his players to win three games and the prizes would be theirs to which the locker room erupted.

New Orleans Saints head coach gave his players a look at what they could win as motivation before their playoff run began.

According to reports, Payton had the Lombardi trophy, given to the Super Bowl winner, a Super Bowl ring, and over $200,000 in cash wheeled into the Saints locker room with armed guards. The cash represented the players' bonuses for winning the Super Bowl.

The story was first broken by Jon DeTrinis, a New Orleans-based lawyer. According to DeTrinis, Payton asked if players wanted the cash, trophy, and ring, then told them to win three games, to which the locker room erupted.

ESPN's Mike Triplett also reported on the motivational tactic, speaking to Saints running back Mark Ingram, who said the the tactics worked.

"Guys make good money here," Ingram told Triplett. "But not too often you see $250,000 cash right there. So that was very appealing. The Lombardi sitting right there in front of it, the ring sitting right in front of it, the armed guards. It was pretty dope.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport confirmed the report and tweeted a picture of what the display looked like.

The Saints play the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. If they win, they'll be just two wins away from the trophy, ring, and of course, the cash.

• Read more:
• Tom Brady sacrificed at least $60 million in his career with discounted contracts for the Patriots
• Andy Reid scolded Chiefs fans during playoff game for throwing snowballs at Colts punter
• Who Americans want to win this weekend's NFL playoff games