Saints advisor Jon Gruden is a big supporter of backup QB Nathan Peterman

It’s still unclear what role Jon Gruden has with the Saints as an advisor, consultant, or unpaid observer. But he’s a big Nathan Peterman fan:

It’s still unclear what role ex-Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has with the New Orleans Saints. His connection to the organization has been characterized as, at different times, “an observer rather than any official consultant” per NewOrleans.Football’s Mike Triplett and as a possible “addition to the Saints offensive staff rather than a replacement for offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael” according to Nola.com’s Jeff Duncan.

Obviously Gruden has not joined the staff in any official capacity (yet), but it stands to reason that he’s still around the team. He had dinner with general manager Mickey Loomis and other team brass when the Saints visited the Tampa Bay Buccaneers late last December, and he’s someone they regard highly despite the off-field distractions his presence creates.

What we do know about Gruden is that he’s a big Nathan Peterman fan. Gruden kept Peterman around as a backup quarterback on the Raiders for years, and now Peterman is competing for the same job in New Orleans. Back before the 2017 draft, when Gruden was still working in broadcasting for ESPN, he said of the then-Pitt Panthers quarterback:

“Peterman is ready to walk in and be a contributor from day one. He just looks like a pro quarterback — coming out of the huddle, running an offense with different formations, shifting, motioning, different patterns that other colleges don’t run.

Peterman will recognize route combinations and associate formations. Most importantly, he will be able to get in a huddle from day one and look at 10 grown men and tell them where to go and what to do and handle a versatile snap count.”

Clearly things didn’t work as Gruden anticipated once Peterman got on the field. No quarterback has thrown more interceptions (13) on fewer attempts (160) since he entered the league. Still, Gruden stood by his evaluation and chose to bring Peterman into the fold when he was coaching the Raiders a few years later.

“This Nate Peterman is growing on me,” Gruden told Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review Journal. “He’s athletic. I know he’s got some nightmare performances in the NFL, but when you watch the film you can see why. It’s not all his fault, but he’s got some talent, he’s got some athleticism, he’s got some experience.”

Gruden added: “He was an opening day starter for the Buffalo Bills last year. I take that very serious. He’s smart. He’s done a good job. He’s been consistent, and I think he’s starting to get his confidence back. We all need that.”

Now, just because Gruden likes a quarterback doesn’t mean the player is any good. Just look at the horrible draft picks he and Mike Mayock put together with the Raiders. It became a meme during Gruden’s ESPN tenure on Monday Night Football that he’d claim to have loved every player he could name. From Tom Brady to Alex Smith and Mike Glennon, anyone would get an enthusiastic, “Man, I love this guy.” Peterman has probably gotten the same treatment.

Still, it’s easy to connect the dots here. Gruden has been around the Saints as an organization for most of the last year. He’s a big fan of Peterman as a backup quarterback. And when the Saints needed someone cheap who wouldn’t threaten Derek Carr’s job security, Gruden may have put in a good word for the third-stringer. It would almost be more surprising if he hadn’t.

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ESPN ranks both Bucs’ Super Bowl teams in all-time list

ESPN ranked every championship winner of the Super Bowl era, and both Bucs teams placed fairly high on the list.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the lowest win-loss percentage in NFL history. Despite this, Tampa Bay has two Super Bowls to its name.

The Bucs put together two of the most impressive Super Bowl victories in recent history − both in pretty lopsided fashion. How does each Tampa Bay championship team rank among all 58 Super Bowl winners? Here’s what ESPN writer Aaron Schatz thinks:

2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers had nearly all the pieces to call themselves a championship-caliber team. They just needed a quarterback.

So when the Bucs made a splash in free agency and won over QB Tom Brady, they found the final missing piece of the puzzle. Brady hoisted Tampa Bay to its first playoff appearance since 2007, and eventually led the way in a 31-9 Super Bowl victory against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Schatz ranked the Bucs’ 2020 Super Bowl team as the 20th-best championship team of all time. Here’s what he said about the team:

“The Buccaneers were fourth in total DVOA for 2020 although they would have been No. 1 without a single game, a 38-3 stomping at the hands of the Saints in Week 9. Overall, the Bucs were third on offense and fifth on defense.”

Schatz made sure to give credit to the massive turnaround Tampa Bay made after their bye week. The Bucs were 7-5 and won the final four games of the regular season, and then, of course, swept the playoffs.

2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Everything finally came together during the Bucs’ first Super Bowl-winning team. After letting go of HC Tony Dungy in the offseason and trading a first-round pick for former Raiders HC Jon Gruden, Tampa Bay found its footing in the playoffs. The Bucs arguably had one of the best defenses of all time and earned the No. 14 spot amongst championship teams by ESPN.

Here’s what Schatz wrote about the 2002 Bucs:

“This team ranked only 22nd in offensive DVOA. But the Bucs had the best pass defense DVOA ever put up in a full nonstrike season, and the third-best total defense in DVOA history behind the 1991 Eagles and 1986 Bears. Both sides of the ball worked together well once the Bucs got to the postseason, as they won by an average margin of 23.0 points per game.”

Tampa Bay cleared through the NFC, winning 31-6 against the 49ers and 27-10 against the Eagles. Led by 2002 Defensive Player of the Year Derrick Brooks, the Bucs stomped the Oakland Raiders 48-21 in the Super Bowl.

Tampa Bay defensive back Dwight Smith logged two pick-sixes off Rich Gannon, and Bucs WR Keenan McCardell caught two touchdown passes from QB Brad Johnson.

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Why Allegiant Stadium shares a nickname with the Death Star from Star Wars, explained

Some people think it looks more like a giant Roomba vacuum cleaner, though.

Allegiant Stadium, the host of the 2024 Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, is a very beautiful place.

Thanks to Raiders owner Mark Davis, the stadium also happens to have a nickname inspired by the Star Wars film series. That is because the first time Davis welcomed the players to the stadium back in 2020, he referred to it as the Death Star. Via ESPN, he said:

“Welcome to the Death Star, where our opponents’ dreams come to die.”

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ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez said that he told Davis that the Death Star was blown up multiple times throughout the Star Wars series. But that didn’t matter at all to Davis, who still thinks the $1.9 billion stadium bared a resemblance to the Death Star due to its sleek black and grey facade.

Ethan Miller – Getty Images

Despite the unfortunate fate of the Death Star in the Star Wars movies, this nickname is an identity that the team has embraced. During NFL games as recently as this season, the video board at the stadium has read “Welcome to the Death Star” with players holding light sabers.

Lucasfilms

Jon Gruden, who was the head coach of the Raiders (for the second time) from 2018 until 2021, said that it was a “cool name” for the stadium and that he did not “give a damn” about Star Wars.

Johnathan Abram, a former safety for the Raiders, also described the stadium as the Death Star when he discussed it with NFL.com’s Ian Rapaport.

Even if you think this place looks more like a giant Roomba vacuum, the team has landed on The Death Star as its chosen nickname.

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NFL personnel were just as stunned as Saints fans that Jon Gruden isn’t their OC

NFL personnel were just as stunned as Saints fans that Jon Gruden isn’t their offensive coordinator. They should have read more local reporting:

It turns out that NFL executives are just as prone to misinformation and bad speculation as any pessimistic New Orleans Saints fan. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler emptied his notebook from Senior Bowl week in Mobile, Ala., where he met with contacts from around the league to gossip and share information.

And several sources Fowler spoke with expected Jon Gruden to be hired as the Saints’ new offensive coordinator. Given his relationship with Derek Carr and appearance at the team facility last summer as an unpaid consultant, those were some easy dots to connect — and it fed into the narrative among some Saints fans that Dennis Allen would be unable to hire a young up-and-comer to call plays on offense.

“Some people around the league had their antennae up” about Gruden returning to the NFL with the Saints, Fowler wrote; Gruden resigned from the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021 after a trove of inflammatory emails from his time at ESPN were leaked to the media. Gruden is currently suing the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell in Nevada state court.

Fowler continued, laying out the rationale:

“Gruden, who won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay and last roamed the sidelines as the Raiders’ head coach in 2018-21, helped out the Saints’ staff this season in a behind-the-scenes capacity, and some in the coaching community believed the Saints had interest in hiring Gruden during the process. Quarterback Derek Carr had his best seasons under Gruden and is very familiar with the offense. Gruden has also been in the Saints’ building this offseason. But his coaching outlook is complicated, as he has an outstanding lawsuit against the NFL over his controversial resignation (involving racist and misogynistic emails) from Las Vegas in 2021.”

This belief was common among Saints fans on social media, but it runs against all local credible reporting in New Orleans. Gruden’s name had come up as a possible assistant on the coaching staff, but not as an offensive coordinator or play caller. It was consistently reported that the Saints were looking for a spinoff from the Sean McVay-Kyle Shanahan coaching trees, and they got one in Klint Kubiak, who is expected to be announced as offensive coordinator after Super Bowl LVIII.

It’s understandable for fans to feel down about the team after three rough seasons in life without Drew Brees, and a lack of direction after Sean Payton stepped down from his post. Hiring Gruden to such a prominent position would have been controversial to say the least (and it’s still possible he could join the staff as an assistant or analyst, which would be a thorny issue). But by all accounts the Saints were going in a different direction and he was never in consideration for the coordinator gig. Hopefully it pays off with strong results and a return to the playoffs in 2024.

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Will Raheem Morris return to coach the Commanders?

Raheem Morris should be a serious contender to be Washington’s next head coach.

One of the potential candidates for Washington’s head coaching job has coached here in the DMV previously.

Morris spent time as the defensive backs coach for the Redskins in the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons.

During that 2012 season, Washington won the NFC East (10-6) as Alfred Morris rushed for 1,613 yards and quarterback Robert Griffin added 815 more yards on the ground.

That 2012 coaching staff included HC Mike Shanahan, OC Kyle Shanahan, DC Jim Haslett, OL Chris Foerster, QB Matt LaFleur, OA Mike McDaniel, TE Sean McVay, DB Raheem Morris, LB Bob Slowik, and DA Bobby Slowik.

Shanahan, LaFleur, McDaniel and McVay have all not only succeeded in the NFL as position coaches and coordinators, but also as head coaches. Slowik is succeeding in his first year as an offensive coordinator in Houston with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Morris, on the other hand, had the misfortune of being offered the head coaching job of the Tampa Bay Bucs earlier in 2009. Morris had been a position coach (DB) in the NFL, but not yet an NFL coordinator. Having been with the Bucs 2002-05 and again in 2007-08, Bucs ownership saw potential in Morris.

The Bucs ownership had experienced a tough time with Jon Gruden’s personality. He was so strong-willed, so controlling. Jon was much different than his brother, Jay. He was a bully, verbally lashing out often at many.

Ownership determined they could not go that route again, so they intentionally hired someone much less experienced, who had not yet developed any power in the NFL, someone they could control and manage much easier.

Morris was young and could not refuse the offer. But he was too quickly moved up to head coach, though he had not yet been an NFL coordinator. Ownership was overreacting to the problems they experienced with Jon Gruden.

Morris lasted three seasons, 2009-11, as the Bucs head coach before they moved on. Since that time, Morris, however, has gained very valuable experience as an NFL position coach, coordinator, and assistant head coach with the Falcons and Rams. For good reason, he has been employed in the NFL every season since 2007.

Morris was not yet ready to be a head coach that first time, but it was also 2009. Morris today has had the necessary experience, has done well, and has built his reputation as an NFL teacher, leader, and communicator.

Raheem Morris will again be an NFL head coach soon, and he is much more prepared for the task.

Might Morris be the next head coach of the Commanders?

Moving on from Pete Carmichael is just part of the Saints’ path forward

Moving on from Pete Carmichael is just part of the Saints’ path forward. Finding the right offensive coordinator is the most important decision of Dennis Allen’s career:

It wasn’t an easy decision, but the New Orleans Saints did it: they fired longtime offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael on Tuesday, cutting off one of the last remaining pieces of their Super Bowl XLIV-winning team.

Now what?

Moving on from Carmichael isn’t enough. The Saints must replace him with a play caller who brings something new to the table: an upgrade, not a lateral move. By parting ways with Carmichael (and assistant coaches like Kodi Burns and Bob Bicknell) they’re signaling that it was Carmichael holding back the offense for the first three months, not quarterback Derek Carr.

So finding an offensive coordinator who can get more out of Carr while improving the run game is going to be key. Maybe that’s someone already on staff like passing game coordinator Ronald Curry. Maybe it’s someone who has worked with Carr before, like Jon Gruden. Or maybe an entirely fresh perspective could be the answer. There are assistant coaches on the rise around the league like San Francisco 49ers passing game specialist Klint Kubiak and Houston Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson who could be in demand.

At the same time, Allen has tried and failed to recruit upgrades in each of his first two years on the job. He could be in a similar tough spot again this year with candidates looking elsewhere for better opportunities. If that’s the case, Allen might have to settle for a retread like Ken Dorsey (ex-Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator) or Jim Bob Cooter (the Indianapolis Colts’ OC, who defers play calling to head coach Shane Steichen). This is the most important hire Allen will make in his three-year run as head coach.

If Allen misfires and the Saints miss the playoffs yet again in 2024, that has to be the end of the line. That must be what’s at stake here: playoffs or bust. Another average-at-best showing from the offense and near-.500 record can’t be good enough. Not when the Saints marketed Allen’s own hiring two years ago as a move that would keep them competitive in the playoffs. After hiring his own coaches and drafting his own players and getting his own quarterback, Allen won’t have any excuses or anyone else to blame if he can’t guide this team to the postseason next year.

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Saints fire offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael

Saints fire offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael

The New Orleans Saints are dismissing longtime offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, per multiple reports, and first shared by NewOrleans.Football’s Mike Triplett and Nick Underhill.

It’s surprising given the support that head coach Dennis Allen threw behind Carmichael for much of the last two years. Carmichael struggled to maintain the success that Sean Payton established as a play caller after taking the headset for himself in 2022, and an upgrade at quarterback in 2023 didn’t make much of a difference for him.

So the Saints will go in a new direction. Carr’s former Raiders coach Jon Gruden is an obvious candidate for the job, but we’ll have to wait and see which prospects emerge and where other changes will be hitting the coaching staff. This is a developing story.

Podcast: Dennis Allen, Saints promise changes this offseason. Here’s what to expect

Dennis Allen and Saints leadership have promised changes ahead of the 2024 offseason. Here’s what to expect:

The Saints Wire podcast is back with managing editor John Sigler (@john_siglerr) and our host Ryan O’Leary (@RyanOLearySMG) recapping the New Orleans Saints’ dominant win over the Atlanta Falcons — and all the drama that followed it.

Dennis Allen and Saints leadership have promised changes in the offseason, but what might those look like? Will there be as much turnover in the coaching staff as on the roster? Could Jon Gruden take over as offensive coordinator from Pete Carmichael, and get more out of Derek Carr? Are top assistants like offensive line coach Doug Marrone on the way out the door? Tap in and get up to speed. Here’s what to expect.

Follow the Saints Wire Podcast:
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Report: Saints considering Jon Gruden, but not for offensive coordinator

The Saints are reportedly considering Jon Gruden as an addition to their coaching staff, but not as a replacement for offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael:

This was obviously coming down the pipeline, right? Jeff Duncan reports for the Times-Picayune | Advocate that the New Orleans Saints are considering Jon Gruden for a role on their coaching staff, having wined and dined with him before their Week 17 road game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (in Tampa, where Gruden resides). Gruden was previously around the team as an unpaid consultant during their 2023 training camp.

Gruden got more out of Saints quarterback Derek Carr than any other coach when they were together on the Raiders, but here’s the catch: Duncan adds that Gruden “likely would” come on as assistant coach, not an outright replacement for offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael. He describes a possible situation similar to the one that Allen experienced as co-defensive coordinator with Rob Ryan back in 2015, when the Saints eventually dismissed Ryan midseason to give Allen full control of the defense.

On top of that, Gruden is actively suing the NFL and league commissioner Roger Goodell while seeking damages to his personal reputation and professional career. Gruden resigned as the Raiders head coach in 2021 after emails he wrote while an employee at ESPN from 2011 to 2018 were leaked, containing sexist, racist, and homophobic content led to public outcry. The documents were discovered during an NFL investigation into workplace misconduct allegations against former Washington executives. A hearing in the Nevada Supreme Court is expected later this week.

The Saints offense improved greatly down the stretch in 2021, with Carr throwing 15 touchdown passes against 3 interceptions through six games in December, while the unit averaged 28.8 points per game. Once Carmichael picked up recent trends and started utilizing more frequent play action, pre-snap motion, and more favorable targets for the tight ends, Carr flourished.

But it was still too little, too late for the Saints to reach the playoffs. If Dennis Allen believes that Gruden can help Carr and the offense start hotter and maintain consistency, they’ll likely make a run at him, even if it’s unclear how he’d fit into the offensive coaching structure (to say nothing of whether the NFL would allow it while he’s actively suing them). Duncan’s report says there’s mutual interest, so stay tuned.

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Commanders request permission to interview Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris

Morris spent three seasons in Washington working under Mike Shanahan and Jay Gruden.

You can add the name of Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to the list of potential candidates to become the next head coach of the Washington Commanders.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Commanders have requested permission to speak with Morris for their vacant head coaching position.

Morris, 47, has an impressive resume. He began his NFL coaching career in 2002 with Tampa Bay as a quality control assistant. He spent four seasons with the Buccaneers before accepting the defensive coordinator position at Kansas State in 2006.

He returned to the Bucs in 2007 as defensive backs coach under Jon Gruden. When Gruden was fired at the end of the 2009 season, Morris was promoted to head coach in 2009. In three seasons as head coach, Morris had a record of 17-31. In 2020, he was named interim head coach of the Falcons, where he had a record of 4-7.

After his stint as head coach of Tampa Bay, Morris served as Washington’s secondary coach for three seasons from 2012-14. For two years, he was on the staff of Mike Shanahan, along with Kyle Shanahan, Matt LaFleur and Sean McVay. Jay Gruden retained Morris in 2014.

In 2015, Morris moved on to Atlanta, serving in multiple roles until his interim head coaching stint in 2020.

He was named the Rams defensive coordinator in 2021.