Tag: Head Coach

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni makes Hail Mary try at retaining Kellen Moore

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni made a Hail Mary try at retaining Kellen Moore after their Super Bowl championship: ‘Let’s run this (expletive) back’

You can’t hate a guy for trying. With another Super Bowl victory in hand and grinning players and coaches all around him, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni took a moment to try and sustain his success a little longer.

Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore put on a show in Sunday night’s runaway win over the Kansas City Chiefs, as did veteran defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Sirianni thanked both of them in his postgame speech but he also made a last-second, maybe halfhearted plea to Moore with green confetti raining down around him from the postgame stage.

“Kellen, you know, let’s run this (expletive) back, Kellen,” Sirianni laughed, preparing to accept the Lombardi Trophy. “Let’s run this back.”

Moore’s looming departure for the New Orleans Saints has been the elephant in the room all week. It’s been repeatedly reported that Moore is expected to become the Saints’ next head coach now that the Super Bowl is behind him, but nothing is guaranteed until he’s signed his contract. Moore will fly back to Philadelphia on Monday with the Eagles and celebrate their championship win a little longer before turning his attention back to New Orleans.

So Sirianni will have some time to work to keep his team together. Let’s see if it makes a difference.

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Kellen Moore’s stunning Super Bowl blowout is a big Saints selling point

It’s one thing to advertise your new head coach as someone who got to the Super Bowl. What Kellen Moore achieved is something else altogether:

It’s one thing to advertise your new head coach as someone who got to the Super Bowl. That message in itself resonates with young star talents like Chris Olave — but what Kellen Moore achieved on Sunday night is something else altogether. The Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator put on a clinic in Super Bowl LIX, preparing his offense to handle one of the NFL’s greatest defenses. And this performance has to be music to the New Orleans Saints’ ears.

Moore faced off with Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and turned the clock back to 2012, when Spags’ Saints defense allowed 440 yards per game. They gave up 345 total yards to the Eagles after allowing just 320 this season. Moore’s unit put up 33 of Philly’s 40 points (not counting a pick-six by rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean), largely thanks to good play from Jalen Hurts in the pocket. A notoriously poor passer against the blitz, Hurts hung in tough against the Chiefs pass rush Spagnuolo has tooled into sending extra pressure.

You can bet Moore walking into the locker room with a Super Bowl ring on his finger will command attention. He still has to accept the Saints job, of course, but that’s long been the expectation. You play to win the game, and to get to this stage, and to win it all like Moore just did. That credibility matters in the NFL.

Outscoring the two-time Super Bowl champs and spoiling their shot at a three-peat is impressive. Doing it inside the Caesars Superdome where the Saints play their home games is meaningful. If the Saints can seal the deal and get Moore to sign a contract? If nothing else it would be a huge shift in vibes from where this team has been. Now let’s see them get across the goal line.

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Saints legend compares lead head coach candidate to Sean Payton

Mark Ingram II didn’t say if he likes Kellen Moore, but did assert the New Orleans Saints were at their best with an offensive minded coach like Sean Payton:

Mark Ingram II is just the latest former New Orleans Saints player to share positive words about Kellen Moore, as speculation continues to rise around the Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator becoming the next Saints head coach.

However, Ingram’s comments also introduce a new potential layer of pressure waiting for Moore in New Orleans. The former Saints running back didn’t say how he personally felt about Moore, but chose to comment on the stylistic fit in New Orleans.

“I think when Saints were at their best, we had an offensive-minded head coach in Sean Payton,” Ingram told Kay Adams this week. It’s difficult to gauge how Ingram feels about the potential hire, but he does seem to lean towards wanting an offensive-minded head coach.

The problem comes in the form of Payton’s looming shadow. The shadow wouldn’t hang over Moore in the same way it hung over Dennis Allen. Allen was the defensive coordinator under Payton, but Moore would be the first offensive-minded coach since Payton.

There will be some who feel the same way as Ingram. There are already many who see the climate of the NFL, and think offensive minded coaches are the correct choice. For New Orleans, specifically, calling back to the last coach with that type of foundation is natural.

Those comparisons should be fleeting and become nonexistent before the season. Living up to the ghost of Sean Payton immediately will be a near impossible task and is only setting him up to fall short of those standards.

Inevitably, however, there will be a section of fans who make this comparison.

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Saints WR Rashid Shaheed on ‘genius’ head coach candidate Kellen Moore

Rashid Shaheed has been studying New Orleans Saints head coach candidates, and he has high praise for Philadelphia Eagles OC Kellen Moore:

If the New Orleans Saints hire Kellen Moore as the next head coach, they’ll get a positive review from Rashid Shaheed. When asked about Moore, Shaheed called him a “genius,” per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill.

Shaheed is working his way back from injury, but he along with Chris Olave are two of the most attractive pieces for an offensive minded head coach. They’re two young, dynamic receivers.

New Orleans is getting a complete overhaul this year. Klint Kubiak joined the Seattle Seahawks, so there will be a change of system even if Moore isn’t the coach. Shaheed has studied the Saints’ potential candidates this offseason. Shaheed’s description of Moore’s offense could unlock an underutilized portion of his game.

“It’s spread out. There’s a lot of space,” Shaheed said. Over the course of his career, Shaheed has primarily been used as a field-stretcher. As one of the NFL’s best deep threats, Shaheed forces teams to pick between his downfield route or Olave’s underneath route.

It’d be interesting to see if Kellen Moore’s offense can create a lot of space while using Shaheed as a catch and run threat. Olave has the speed to threaten vertically and the respect to command attention from defensive backs. That would leave the underneath receiver with room to work.

Shaheed has done so much damage getting yards before the catch, that it’s easy to not think of ways to translate his special teams prowess to the offensive game plan.

As a return specialist, he’s used to running with the ball in his hand. When Shaheed points out the space Moore’s offense creates, it’s a safe assumption he sees that as something he can benefit from.

Not using Shaheed as a threat with the ball in his hands feels like leaving meat on the bone. That could change for the dynamic receiver, in addition to still being a field stretcher.

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Saints head coach candidate Kellen Moore hints at potential staff addition

Saints head coach candidate Kellen Moore hinted at a potential staff addition. His Mizzou OC brother may ‘have a lot of really good opportunities’ very soon:

With Kellen Moore likely becoming the next head coach of the New Orleans Saints, many have wondered what a Moore-led staff would look like.

During yesterday’s media availability, Moore was asked about his younger brother Kirby who just finished his second season as the offensive coordinator for the Missouri Tigers. Kellen Moore had some high praise for his brother’s accomplishments while noting the potential for more opportunities in the near future.

If hired by New Orleans, Moore will be expected to put his coaching staff together immediately. Already behind schedule with hires being announced around the league by the day, it becomes increasingly likely that Moore will look to bring in more familiar faces. Potentially moreso than those with league experience and a strong resume. This is not to say that those options aren’t still out there, but as the last coach hired from this year’s cycle, those options become limited.

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Former Saints HC gives his opinion on Saints’ leading candidate

Sean Payton shared his opinion on Kellen Moore’s fit with the Saints, and the traits needed to succeed. He adds “there’s a standard here” for the next coach to uphold:

The New Orleans Saints are the only team left with a coaching vacancy. The expectation is the Saints are waiting on Super Bowl LIX to wrap up so they can officially hire Kellen Moore away from the Philadelphia Eagles. That didn’t stop Sean Payton from getting his jokes off.

“Are they announcing that this year or next year?” Payton asked Kay Adams in jest, joining Mark Ingram II and Cameron Jordan on set. Arguably Adams’ biggest inquiry was if Moore a good fit for New Orleans. There aren’t many, if any, people who can answer that question better than Payton. He led the Saints for over a decade to high degrees of success. Payton doesn’t run from the shadow he casts, either.

“I don’t know Kellen,” Payton remarked. “I think he’s real sharp, but there’s a standard here.” He’s obviously referencing the standard set by Payton over his tenure.

That standard has been lost recently. After three years of Dennis Allen at the helm, there are pieces of culture that are gone in addition to the lack of success.

Jordan alluded to that missing part of culture when the conversation shifted to what makes a good coach. Jordan believes a good coach can’t be “afraid to make uncomfortable situations.”

Payton shook his head with pride and replied, “That’s right. We’d make it uncomfortable every once in a while,” as he and Ingram shared a laugh. The two definitely shared tense moments, but that’s Payton’s “love language.”

There’s a growing emphasis on getting an offensive coach. Payton doesn’t subscribe to this thought process: “I don’t think it has to be offense, defense or special teams. Find someone who can lead everyone, someone who is authentic, creative.”

Creativity can come in many forms, but when you pair it with the other aspects discussed, creativity in leadership may be the most important form.

Being your authentic self allows players to believe in what’s in front of them. It’s an impassioned game. If you shy away from uncomfortable situations, you’ll struggle to lead your team through them when they inevitably arise.

For Payton, it all comes down to leading an entire team. That’s one of the biggest changes from coordinator to head coach.

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Chiefs HC Andy Reid shares final thoughts on officiating before Super Bowl LIX: ‘They’re doing their job’

Kansas City #Chiefs head coach Andy Reid shares final thoughts on officiating before Super Bowl LIX: ‘They’re doing their job’ | @EdEastonJr

Thursday was the last press conference media day before the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles played in Super Bowl LIX. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was once again questioned about rumors that game officials showed preferential treatment to Kansas City.

“They don’t favor one side for the other,” said Reid. “That’s not how this thing goes.” I don’t think the officials care about what’s said; they’re doing their job, and they’re doing it to the best of their ability. They don’t favor one side or the other; that’s not how this thing goes.”

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell shot down assumptions that game referees favored the Chiefs during his Super Bowl press conference earlier in the week. Reid wanted to ensure he emphasized what his team had echoed going into Sunday’s game.

“It’s a good story, but that’s not the reality of how it works. You’d be insulting them to think that’s what they do,” said Reid. “They go out, and they call it like they see it. There’s some, as a coach, I sit there and go, ‘I don’t agree with it.’ There are some I agree with. That’s how it goes.”

The Chiefs won eleven games by one-score margins during the regular season and were the top seed in the AFC playoffs. A third consecutive Super Bowl victory this Sunday will silence the critics.

Behind closed doors, the Saints admit they have to rebuild

Behind closed doors, the New Orleans Saints admit they have to rebuild. A messy salary cap spreadsheet and a four-year playoff drought are powerful motivators:

The New Orleans Saints have drawn a lot of ire over the years for their stubborn resistance to rebuilding their team. They’ve continued to push money into future years and max out their salary cap resources to try and compete. Now, depending on where you look (and ultimately depending on where the NFL sets this year’s spending limit), the Saints are in the hole by $54 million to $72 million.

But now it’s gotten to a point where they can’t ignore the inevitable. After struggling to keep their heads above water in a series of 9-8, 7-10, and 9-8 seasons after Drew Brees retired, they finished the 2024 season at 5-12. That’s their worst record since the Hurricane Katrina-impacted season back in 2005. It’s time for change.

And while general manager Mickey Loomis has pushed back on that notion publicly, that isn’t what he’s telling candidates behind closed doors. During a guest appearance on the Athletic Football Show, Dianna Russini shared some insight to the Saints’ expectations for their new head coach.

When asked about the team’s ledger and whether they understand they may need to take a year to untangle their salary cap accounting, Russini responded: “They do. And that’s been part of the conversations they’ve been having with these coaches that want this job. Which is, ‘We’re going to practice patience here, knowing that we’ve put you, if you were to get this job, in this position. It’s not your fault.'”

That situation isn’t for everyone. Candidates who are in great spots with elite young quarterbacks (like Joe Brady and Kliff Kingsbury) have chosen to stay put. Others have gone for greener pastures with more money to invest in their roster (like Aaron Glenn), or opted to wait for better opportunities to open up in next year’s cycle (like Mike McCarthy).

But for a young hotshot offensive coordinator like Kellen Moore, who got thrown out with the bathwater by the Los Angeles Chargers a year ago? Who the Dallas Cowboys moved on from a year before that? And who just saw someone in his same situation, Bobby Slowik, jettisoned by the Houston Texans a year after getting these same head coach interviews? The fit might make sense. Desperation is a strong motivator. It may be driving Moore to stay in New Orleans after the Super Bowl. And it may push the Saints to finally work on getting out of the salary cap mess they’ve made for themselves, too.

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Kellen Moore lays out the traits he believes a head coach needs most

Kellen Moore discussed the traits he believes a head coach needs most — and said that he’d continue to call plays if hired by a team like the Saints:

Kellen Moore is expected to transition from offensive coordinator to head coach by this time next week. Moore had media availability in preparation for the Philadelphia Eagles appearance in Super Bowl LIX. Of course, his pending promotion was a topic of conversation.

Moore laid out what he believes it takes to to be a good head coach, and it’s probably a summarized version of what he told the New Orleans Saints. Moore told reporters at Monday night’s Super Bowl LIX media night, “You got to lead the group, you got to be an expert in some capacity You got to be able communicate at a really high level.”

The group Moore will have to lead is about to grow. He’s used to having to lead and communicate with just the offense, but now he’ll have to be involved in all three aspects of the game.

Don’t expect Moore to abandon his strength, however, and become a helicopter coach. He would still call plays as a head coach, which aligns with the requirement of being an expert in a category: “It’s something that’s gotten me to this place. You’d hate to stop doing what you love as you go through this journey.”

Because he’ll be involved with play calling he’ll have to be more hands on with the offense than any other phase of the game. Moore will be in the offensive meeting rooms most frequently, so you’d like a defensive coordinator with strong leadership traits as well, possibly a former head coach.

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Adam Schefter says that, barring setback, Saints will hire Kellen Moore

Adam Schefter says that, barring a setback, the New Orleans Saints will hire Kellen Moore: ‘A chance to probably triple his salary, become a head coach, one of 32’

The New Orleans Saints head coach search has entered a state of limbo. They don’t have a new coach under contract, but they clearly have a top target. They can’t talk to him, but Kellen Moore and the Philadelphia Eagles will be practicing at their Metairie facility this week. They aren’t allowed to speak with Moore until after Super Bowl LIX, which will be played at the Caesars Superdome. And they’ve told other coach candidates they won’t be making a decision until after the Super Bowl. Conveniently, that’s when Moore will be cleared to contact the team.

It’s kind of an awkward place to be in. All signs point to Moore becoming the Saints’ next head coach, but we aren’t across the finish line yet. ESPN’s Adam Schefter spoke about the situation during a Monday appearance on the Pat McAfee Show.

“Of course, barring a setback, he’s going to be the guy. Could there be a setback? Sure. There often are setbacks,” Schefter said, pointing to examples like Josh McDaniels leaving the Indianapolis Colts at the alter and Bill Belichick not coaching the New York Jets. It was a different scenario but Liam Coen flipping back to the Jacksonville Jaguars, leaving an offer on the table with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is a more recent example.

Schefter added that general manager Mickey Loomis has taken steps (and will continue to take steps) to do “everything in his power, when it comes to this coaching hire, to follow the rules and go by the book and not talk to Kellen Moore until after the Super Bowl. Could it break down and they not reach an agreement? Sure. Its that likely? No. Kellen Moore is gonna have a chance to probably triple his salary, become a head coach, one of 32.”

Why can’t the Saints contact Moore? That would be considered tampering, a penalty which would include a loss of draft picks. Schefter added, “What are they waiting for? Why not go hire him right now? But they’re not, and they’re waiting. They’re waiting to talk to Kellen Moore and they’re waiting to make sure they give the Eagles absolutely zero evidence that they’ve tampered with the guy until after the game.”

The Eagles have been here before, and the Saints clearly learned from being on the outside looking in. Philadelphia benefited from tampering charges on the Arizona Cardinals not following NFL protocol to hire Jonathan Gannon (then the Eagles defensive coordinator) as their head coach. That isn’t a situation Loomis is going to put the Saints in, hence the delay.

You just hope a setback doesn’t appear that takes Moore out of the running for the job. He’ll be speaking with the media almost every day leading up to Super Bowl LIX and is certain to face questions about the Saints’ controversial involvement in the New Orleans archdiocese clergy abuse scandal. The next week will be crucial.

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