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The reinstatement effectively ends the tumultuous period for the Saints that began last March, when the league announced it had uncovered a bounty system within the team. Payton was suspended for most of the off-season, including the draft and minicamps, and for the entire regular season. General Manager Mickey Loomis and the assistant head coach Joe Vitt, who were also suspended last summer, have been back on the job for months. Recently, the former N.F.L. commissioner Paul Tagliabue vacated the discipline imposed on four players for what the league said was their role in bounties. Last week a defamation lawsuit brought against Goodell by one of those players, Jonathan Vilma, was dismissed by a judge.

Gregg Williams, the former defensive coordinator who the league said was at the center of the bounty system, left the Saints even before the N.F.L.'s investigation became public. He was suspended indefinitely but is currently not employed by a team.

The scandal upended the Saints because of Payton's leading role in personnel decisions and in offensive play-calling. It also created enmity between the franchise and the city and Goodell, whom the Saints and their fans steadfastly believed conducted a poor investigation and dealt too harshly with the figures involved. When Tagliabue vacated the player discipline, he made clear he was doing so to bring an end to the bitter public battle between the players and Goodell.

Payton and Goodell met in Goodell's office for about four and a half hours Monday, and for much of that time they were the only two present. In its statement, the league said that at the meeting Payton acknowledged "his responsibility for the actions of his coaching staff and players."

"Sean fully complied with all the requirements imposed on him during his suspension," Goodell said in the statement. "More important, it is clear that Sean understands and accepts his responsibilities as a head coach and the vital role that coaches play in promoting player safety and setting an example for how the game should be played at all levels. We are committed to delivering football that fans love and the safety players deserve. Coach Payton agrees and I look forward to working with him going forward to do that."

Payton's reinstatement is effective immediately, so he was free to attend Senior Bowl workouts this week in Mobile, Ala., and to begin work on free agency.

In his own statement, Payton reiterated that he and Loomis took full responsibility for all aspects of the Saints. But in his careful wording Payton stopped short of admitting guilt. The league had said Payton did not exercise enough institutional control and did not put a stop to the system in which players were offered money for hits that knocked opponents from games, even after warnings from the league.

"I clearly recognize that mistakes were made, which led to league violations," Payton said in his statement. "Furthermore, I have assured the commissioner a more diligent protocol will be followed. Lastly, I feel we have learned from our mistakes and are ready to move forward."

Earlier this month the Saints signed Payton to a five-year contract extension which, reports indicate, could pay him $8 million a year. His value to the Saints was never more obvious than it was during the season when he was gone. The Saints lost their first four games, which Vitt also missed because of his suspension. Despite a strong midseason rally after he returned, they finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2008 season. They won the Super Bowl in the 2009 season and with Payton's return are likely to be playoff contenders again next season.