Tag: Coach Search

Saints announce they’ve completed head coach interview with Darren Rizzi

The New Orleans Saints announce they’ve completed an interview with interim head coach Darren Rizzi. He has a real shot at the full-time job:

The New Orleans Saints announced Friday evening that they have completed a head coach interview with Darren Rizzi. Rizzi has now finished each of his two reported interviews, with the other being the New York Jets. After creating a bit of a culture change midway through the Saints season, Rizzi has now earned some serious consideration around the league.

Rizzi’s role with the Saints stemmed from a respect that he gained as the team’s special teams coordinator. Rizzi has led countless seasons in which the team has ranked atop the league in special teams efficiency, as well as developing multiple Pro Bowl and All-Pro players on that side of the football.

His reputation though, went even further than that taking on a position that seemed like a void when Sean Payton exited. Rizzi quickly became the team’s fiery voice in the locker room, that the players immediately gravitated towards. This combination helped his candidacy in a major way leading him to become the team’s interim head coach after Dennis Allen’s departure.

After immediately bringing much needed change to the team even in their shortcomings, Rizzi has made his presence known as a leader of men in this league. The respect and admiration that his players have for him, is something that will be seriously considered when making a decision at head coach. When it’s all said and done, it’s safe to say that Rizzi will most certainly be in the final discussions as Saints head coach.

Regardless of the competition, Rizzi will have influence and buy-in from the players that will justify his case and could ultimately take him a long way in this process.

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Saints urged to pursue underrated offensive mind for HC opening

Bleacher Report argues the New Orleans Saints should pursue an underrated candidate in Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik:

The New Orleans Saints are one of the teams still looking for a new head coach and are also considered to be one of the least-desirable jobs in the market.

With some top options potentially looking elsewhere, knowing they could potentially land at an easier spot, the Saints could be forced to look at one of the less sought-after coaches this cycle.

Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport found someone that fits that bill, but is also very promising. He recently searched for an underrated head coach candidate for each team that would be a great fit. For New Orleans, he decided on Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.

Here is what Davenport had to say about why he would suggest the decision:

Hire a young offensive coach like Slowik. Be patient while the team pulls itself from salary-cap purgatory. And then reap the rewards when the young offense he helped build finally clicks.

Or, do the same thing as the past few years, break out 11 rolls of duct tape and hope Slowik can scheme a flawed team to 10 wins and the postseason.

Slowik has an interview lined up with the Jets, but he was a hotter candidate after C.J. Stroud’s rookie year. A sophomore slump slowed down that train, but Davenport walked away impressed with how Slowik led the Texans offense in the playoff game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

At first, DeMeco Ryans’ defense kept the Texans in the game. When the offense clicked, however, they rolled the rest of the game. The Chargers are a tough defense, so Slowik deserves credit for that success.

He is another member of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, which the hire of Klint Kubiak shows that Mickey Loomis is intrigued by. Davenport sees Slowik’s age as another positive. He’s only 37 years old which gives the Saints and him a chance to grow together. As the Saints take their bumps, Slowik could refine himself as a coach. This isn’t the best win-now set up in New Orleans. They could afford to take their time with Slowik.

The Texans finished this season averaging one yard per game less than the Saints, making them the 11th-least productive unit in the league. A sophomore slump isn’t too worrying, given what he has shown before. He clearly knows the sport well and would be an intriguing option.

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Prime Saints head coach target described as ‘opposite’ of Dennis Allen

Mike McCarthy is seen as a prime New Orleans Saints head coach candidate, and he’s been described as the ‘opposite’ of Dennis Allen:

The New Orleans Saints head coaching search has been underway for a bit now and a couple of names have become synonymous with the job, such as Mike McCarthy or Aaron Glenn.

While there isn’t an exact consensus by Saints supporters on who they want the choice to be, one thing is clear. They want change.

That the focus on a recent exercise completed by CBS Sports writer Josh Edwards. He put all of the current head coach openings in the NFL to find out which new hire would be the opposite of the old head coach. The opposite of Dennis Allen was considered to be McCarthy, a current favorite to land the gig.

Here is what Edwards had to say about his choice:

Glenn would make a lot of sense in this situation as well, but the truth of the matter is that the pool of first-time defensive coaches is rather shallow at this stage of the exercise. New Orleans has noted interest in McCarthy and the hire would cross the line of scrimmage.

The former Dallas Cowboys coach would certainly be a different option than Allen, but he’s not all that unfamiliar to the Saints.

He was already the offensive coordinator in New Orleans from 2000 to 2004 and is not too dissimilar from Sean Payton. They are both Super Bowl-winning coaches that found great success with an all-time great quarterback.

Fans with a bad taste in their mouths from the last defensive-minded head coach would likely be very happy if he is hire.

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Former AFC coach is now available to interview for Saints HC job

Mike Vrabel’s contract with the Cleveland Browns has expired, and if they’re smart, he should be one of the first names the Saints bring in to interview:

The New Orleans Saints are in need of a head coach. New Orleans replaced Dennis Allen with Darren Rizzi, but it’s clear the team must search outside the building for their next head coach.

One of the candidates the Saints have been linked to is Mike Vrabel, and they now have the green light to interview him. After being the head coach of the Tennessee Titans (with whom he achieved a 54-45 record), Vrabel joined the Cleveland Browns as a consultant. His contract with the Browns was a one-year deal that expired on Monday. He can now interview with teams.

The New York Jets are another team to have reported interest in the former Titans head coach, so the Saints won’t be running unopposed. Vrabel is expected to be a hot commodity, so the field will grow beyond just New York and New Orleans.

As the Saints conduct an hopefully thorough search, Vrabel should be high on the list and one of the first names the Saints bring in.

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B/R has an ideal candidate in mind for the Saints head coach search

This Bleacher Report writer gives a reason other than shared history to suggest Aaron Glenn and the Saints are a perfect pairing:

Aaron Glenn is a name you’ll hear frequently connected to the New Orleans Saints The Saints have moved on from Dennis Allen and Darren Rizzi’s replacement bid loses steam by the week. Glenn just feels like the most obvious candidate. Beyond being the most obvious, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox sees Glenn as the ideal fit for New Orleans.

The reason you’ll see Glenn-to-New Orleans so frequently is his coaching history in New Orleans. Though a valid take, it’s so easy that it can come off as lazy at times.

Knox avoided that pitfall, took it a step further and articulated what makes Glenn an attractive coaching candidate.

“Although the team has lost multiple starters, he keeps rolling out a squad capable of winning games,” Knox wrote about Glenn’s job with the Detroit defense. The most notable injury is to Aidan Hutchinson. He’s been gone since Week 5. Detroit has been without him and Alim McNeil for portions of the year. Glenn’s operating under similar circumstances he’d inherit in New Orleans is one of the more creative reasons to pair the Saints and Glenn.

The Saints should be headed into a rebuild that includes tearing down the roster. Glenn has gained experience getting the most out of a depleted roster this season, and now his Lions team is preparing for the playoffs. Maybe that makes a difference.

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Drew Brees on what coaches should do to help their quarterbacks

Drew Brees says hiring a head coach from an offensive background isn’t necessary to cultivate a young quarterback, but the best passers have positive influences:

Drew Brees has seen a thing or two in his football life, and he shared his thoughts on what teams should look for when hiring a new head coach during a recent appearance on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd. Specifically, the legendary former New Orleans Saints quarterback advocated for coaches with background working on the offensive side of the ball.

While Cowherd’s question focused on the Chicago Bears, who need a new coach to mentor and develop Caleb Williams, much of what Brees spoke about could soon apply to the Saints’ situation, too.

“Whether that’s an offensive head coach or that’s just someone who is really responsible for his growth and development, certainly you need that person,” Brees said. “And look that might be a veteran backup quarterback rather than relying on coach to be that person. At the end of the day what I think and every quarterback would tell you is that early in their career they needed someone to help them develop great habits, great discipline and great process.”

Derek Carr isn’t a youngster at quarterback, but he may not be long for New Orleans, either. The Saints haven’t drafted a quarterback in the first round since they picked Archie Manning way back in 1971, and that streak is going to end sooner or later. It might happen as soon as 2025 if their next head coach doesn’t plan on Carr running the offense.

And if that’s the case? It isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker for the head coach to come from an offensive background in order for a rookie quarterback to develop quickly. Like Brees said, someone needs to be there as a positive influence, whether it’s an experienced backup or a talented position coach.

We don’t know who will be coaching the Saints or the Bears in 2025. But if Brees is onto something here, both teams should be taking a hard look at the environments they’re creating for their quarterbacks, especially if New Orleans turns the page in next April’s NFL draft.

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Saints’ Michael Hodges is a key figure in Patriots DC search

The Patriots interviewed Saints linebackers coach Michael Hodges for their DC opening. Even if he doesn’t get the job, they might have a role for him:

The New Orleans Saints could lose yet another assistant to a promotion elsewhere around the league. ESPN’s Mike Reiss reports that linebackers coach Michael Hodges has interviewed for the New England Patriots defensive coordinator opening, along with several other candidates. Head coach Jerod Mayo will likely still call plays defensively, just like Dennis Allen has done, but there’s plenty of room for additions to his staff.

And Hodges is a key figure in the search. An internal option for the job, Patriots defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington, is expected to interview soon — but he’s worked with Hodges before. Here’s what Reiss had to say about the connection:

Some close to the situation say Covington, who attended Mayo’s introduction as coach Wednesday, is well-positioned to elevate to a defensive coordinator role. The interview with Hodges, who was co-defensive coordinator with Covington at Eastern Illinois in 2016, could be a tipoff that it might be headed in that direction.

That suggests there could be room for Hodges in New England even if he doesn’t get the job, possibly working with Covington again as co-defensive coordinators. That strategy didn’t work for the Saints in 2022 with Ryan Nielsen and Kris Richard sharing the title, but it’s worked for other teams, and maybe that’s a situation Mayo could navigate more effectively than Allen did. Hodges and Covington doing well together in the past lends credence to the idea.

If Hodges believes this gives him a better path to advancement and calling his own plays than his current role in New Orleans, he owes it to himself to explore it. Former coworkers like Nielsen and Aaron Glenn have found success after leaving the Saints and getting out of Allen’s shadow. We’ll see if anything comes of this interest.

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Common themes emerging in Saints offensive coordinator search

Common themes are emerging in the Saints’ offensive coordinator search — beyond being products of the McVay coaching tree:

We know three of the names in the list of New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator candidates: Dan Pitcher, Zac Robinson, and Shane Waldron. While they all coach for different teams, they do share some commonalities that explain why the Saints are prioritizing them.

And it goes beyond being offshoots of the Sean McVay coaching tree. But that’s the most obvious (and arguably most important) factor, so let’s start there. Pitcher hasn’t worked with McVay directly but he’s been a top assistant for Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, who worked with receivers and quarterbacks under McVay earlier in his career. Taylor’s offense takes a lot of cues from McVay and Pitcher has come up in the same system.

Both Robinson (who is still with the Rams) and Waldron (who was hired away by the division-rival Seattle Seahawks) worked under McVay personally, and his influence on them is clear. In Waldron’s case, the Seahawks used even heavier play action (on 22.9% of their passes) than the Rams did this year (18.8%). Seattle also tried more passes further downfield more often (targeting receivers 20-plus yards downfield on 12.3% of passes) than L.A. (10.4%). For comparison, the Saints averaged deep shots on 12.2% of their attempts and used play action on just 16% of their passes.

What about the run game? All three teams averaged more yards per carry before contact than the Saints: the Rams and Seahawks both gained 2.7 yards before hitting a defender, and the Bengals were just behind at 2.5. The Saints were nearly half a yard worse at 2.3. The New Orleans offensive line was a mess for much of the season, so moving to a McVay-influenced scheme could help them clean the slate.

The Seahawks used zone on 67.9% of their runs, while the Bengals leaned heavier to gap blocking (using zone on 43.7%), as did the Rams (who used zone on just 38.6%). The Saints are more in line with Seattle while using zone on 62.1% of their runs. New Orleans was the only team of the three to not have multiple running backs gain 15-plus yards on multiple carries this season (Alvin Kamara had 6 of them).

So this tells us the Saints want to deploy a more effective running game and a passing attack that relies more heavily on play action and big shots downfield, which lines up with their personnel. Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed are two of the best receivers in the league past the numbers — use them.

Something else to note: the Saints averaged the second-fewest yards after the catch in 2023 as a team, at 4.4. Only the Carolina Panthers (4.1) were worse. All three of these teams they’re looking to poach from ranked top-10: the Bengals and Rams at 5.6, and the Seahawks at 5.4. Some of that is on personnel in stocking up on receivers who can make a play with the ball in their hands, but a lot of it is also on the play design. Getting receivers open with room to work is key, and each of the teams that Waldron, Robinson, and Pitcher come from excel at it. Hopefully the Saints can land one of them, or someone with similar philosophies.

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Ben Johnson is ‘most coveted candidate’ in next NFL head coach hiring cycle

It doesn’t mean Johnson will leave, but it feels certain he’ll have the opportunity in the coming offseason

Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is once again anticipated to be a very hot commodity on the NFL head coaching carousel in the coming offseason. In fact, Johnson was listed in a recent feature by NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero as the most coveted candidate by teams who are making coaching changes.

Here’s what Pelissero wrote about Johnson. Note the final line:

Johnson coached quarterbacks, receivers and tight ends before becoming Detroit’s offensive coordinator in 2022, giving him a good feel for the whole picture. And he should be even more prepared to run his own show after another year as OC. Many league sources consider Johnson the most coveted candidate in this hiring cycle.

Johnson backed away from chances to leave in the last offseason. He was a front-runner for the Carolina Panthers vacancy as well as an early top candidate for the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts. Johnson pulled his name from consideration from Carolina, his hometown team and owners of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

After committing to another year in Detroit, Johnson explained why he came back,

“You know what, there are so many things going on here, so many good people, coaches, players. I love the offensive staff, everyone we have on board there. I love the players. I love coming in to work everyday. Coach Campbell is incredible. So, end of the day, talking with my family, it just made sense. It made sense, don’t ruin a good thing.”

The 37-year-old doesn’t have any head coaching experience, but get ready for the barrage of interest in some NFL team giving it to him — if Johnson chooses to leave. The factors that kept him in Detroit for 2023 have only blossomed even brighter this season.

Sean Payton hasn’t made it to the second round of any head coach interviews

There’s plenty of time for this to change, but so far Sean Payton hasn’t made it to the second round of any head coach interviews. A trade may need to wait until 2024:

Woof. Look, it’s early, and logistically it makes sense. But it sure seems as if Sean Payton has not made the cut to the second round of interviews with several teams that were quick to meet with the former New Orleans Saints head coach.

Payton’s first meeting with the Arizona Cardinals is scheduled for Thursday, but he hasn’t penciled in any follow-up visits with the Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, or Denver Broncos at the time of writing. Each of those teams has brought back other candidates for their head coach vacancies, but none of them have scheduled a second interview with Payton.

And NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport isn’t bullish on the odds of Payton getting traded to a new team this offseason. Rapoport’s prognosis is grim: “As of right now, it does not seem like there is a place for Sean Payton. We’ll see. But it does not seem like there is a place (for Payton) in the coaching world right now.”

Payton was previously reported to have plans to meet with Broncos ownership again on Wednesday or Thursday, but those plans fell through and he went to Arizona instead. He could absolutely circle back to them again (which is also the case for the Texans and Panthers), and no team has hired a new head coach yet. We’re all very much on the outside looking in here. That doesn’t make this less concerning, though.

So what’s the deal? Why has the shine come off of Payton so quickly? Has it really, or is this a case of perception not matching reality? There are a couple of factors that could explain teams’ interest going elsewhere. For one thing, and we’re being objective here, Payton only won a single Super Bowl while working with a top-five quarterback for more than a decade. Some ownership groups may be too tightfisted to meet his contract demands (he’s been reported to be seeking a $20 million-plus annual salary). Payton enjoyed unquestioned authority and a ton of organizational control in New Orleans, and some teams may not indulge that.

This could change in a hurry. It only takes one phone call for the narrative to shift wildly and for Payton reemerge as the favorite in one of these coach searches. But at this point it at least feels like Payton is likelier to return to FOX Sports for another year than to settle for less with one of these gigs. And that would be tough to swallow for the Saints, who badly need extra draft capital this offseason to retool their roster. Let’s see how it plays out.

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