Tag: Offensive Coordinator

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy on Patrick Mahomes’ growing connection with Rashee Rice

Kansas City #Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy on Patrick Mahomes’ growing connection with Rashee Rice | @EdEastonJr

Rashee Rice’s rookie season was everything and more than the Kansas City Chiefs could ask for regarding production. He finished the season leading the receivers room statistically with 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven touchdowns.

The second-year wide receiver has emerged firmly as the top target of the room for Patrick Mahomes. Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has noticed the continued growth of the pair as he commented to reporters on Thursday about their blossoming connection.

“I go back to, I forget which game it was earlier in the year, where he had a particular play where Rashee (Rice) and Pat (Patrick Mahomes) were off just a bit within the first four or five games, and we came back a game or two later, and we ran a similar play, and they were on,” said Nagy. “I feel like you could almost go back to that one play for Rashee’s career with Pat and from last year and say that was kind of the start. Now, it’s happening naturally on all plays, and I think you felt that in the first game.”

Rice was the primary threat against the Baltimore Ravens in the Week 1 victory. He finished as the team leader with seven catches for 103 yards.

Klint Kubiak calling plays vs. Panthers from the sideline, not the booth

Klint Kubiak has ultimately chosen to call plays from the sideline as opposed to the booth after trying out both options in preseason:

Klint Kubiak, the new offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints, has ultimately chosen to call plays from the sideline for Week 1 as opposed to the booth, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. This comes after Kubiak split between the two options throughout the preseason to see which would work best for the team.

Earlier this week Kubiak refused to comment on which of the two approaches he would be taking for this first game. However, he has chosen the traditional route of sideline coaching, which allows for more communication with players throughout the game.

Considering he is new to the team and is building the scheme around the players who were already here, it does make sense that he went in this direction, as he can receive input live from players rather than having to infer it from play results.

Look at the veteran presence the Saints have on offense as well. Getting input is extremely valuable for a new coach to the team, as hearing back from players like Alvin Kamara, Derek Carr, and Taysom Hill may help him make adjustments to improve the offense.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Derek Carr on Klint Kubiak’s offense: ‘It’s very clear to me’

Derek Carr reflected on a conversation with Klint Kubiak that perfectly showcases Kubiak’s leadership within the New Orleans Saints offense:

https://twitter.com/SeanFazendeFOX8/status/1831471756596617620

An offensive coordinator’s job is to make things easier for his players. That could be getting Chris Olave and the receiving corps the ball in space for run after the catch. For Derek Carr, that means making the game simple.

“One thing about this system it’s very clear to me,” Carr said. He understands when to make certain decisions as he goes through his progressions.

He reflected on a conversation he had Kubiak in practice that day. Carr had a question about timing within the offense. Kubiak told him, “I will tell you. Don’t even worry about it. You just play.”

Carr called the conversation freeing. It’s a great example of how Kubiak leads the offense. This hasn’t been the feeling within the offense over the past two seasons. It could be because it’s new, but players seem to trust Kubiak’s instruction more than in years’ past.

Conversations like that develop trust between coordinator and player while building comfort in the player. Those two attributes go hand in hand. By Carr’s tone, it’s safe to assume he believes Kubiak is putting him in the correct positions and will follow as such.

There shouldn’t be much second guessing himself or the decisions of the play caller. All of these factors will result in Carr and the offense operating faster. Now it’s about execution. Playing fast is irrelevant if you’re making wrong decisions quickly. The first test comes Sunday in Week 1’s game with the Carolina Panthers.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Klint Kubiak will try calling plays from the sideline vs. Titans

Klint Kubiak will try calling plays from the New Orleans Saints sideline in their final preseason game against the Tennessee Titans:

After calling plays from the press box booth in the New Orleans Saints’ first two preseason games, new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak will try working from the sideline during Sunday’s matchup with the Tennessee Titans. Kubiak has been given the option to find which approach works best for him so he’ll give both approaches a fair shot.

“The plan all along was to do both in the preseason, so probably going to be down for this game. I’ve done them both. Really good sightlines up there, have good coaches on the sideline, we’re going to try both in the preseason so we’ll try the other way this game,” Kubiak said after practice this week.

Obviously calling plays from the field level at the Caesars Superdome is a different experience to seeing everything from up in the booth. Kubiak pointed to the eye-to-eye contact with his players and ease of communication compared to talking through a headset, though he values the perspective in viewing the whole field from up high.

“There’s positives to both,” Kubiak acknowledged. “So no preference, I’d like to see how it works out this week.”

Expect backup quarterbacks Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener to split reps nearly-evenly in kickoff with the Titans. While the Saints haven’t said whether their starters will play many snaps in their final exhibition game, it would be unusual to see Derek Carr spend much time on the field at this point in the summer.

As to where Kubiak will be calling plays from when the regular season starts on Sept. 8? That’s yet to be determined, and his experience on Sunday will play a big part in making that decision.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy shares opinion on veteran running back: ‘He’s a leader’

Kansas City #Chiefs OC Matt Nagy shares opinion on Clyde Edwards-Helaire: ‘He’s a leader’ | @EdEastonJr

The final preseason test for the Kansas City Chiefs as they host the Chicago Bears and put the final touches on their roster before the start of the regular season.

Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy will watch players closely as they head into Thursday’s preseason finale. He addressed the media on Tuesday after practice about the status of running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who has recently missed practice time.

“We’ll see where coach (Andy Reid) is at with that. I would say, for the most part, though, we know who Clyde is and what he’s done to these guys. He’s a guy that’s put a lot of good film out there. He’s had a lot of valuable snaps here in Kansas City, so you balance a little bit of that for him, his own personal ability to get some reps. But I think we know who he is. We know what his strengths are, and we know how to use them.”

Edwards-Helaire opened up recently about his battle with PTSD, affecting his availability at times during practice. Nagy acknowledged the seriousness of his situation while praising his leadership in the locker room.

“I think he’s a very positive kid. I’ve always enjoyed my time being around him. He’s knowledgeable, smart, and has a great attitude,” said Nagy. “He’s a leader, however many years it is that he’s in this league, he’s a veteran in that room, and guys listen to him. I think there’s a calmness to him. We all have our stuff off the field, personally, what you go through. Hopefully, he feels his coaches and teammates all have his back in this together, but as a football player with us in the building, he’s been really good.”

Edwards-Helaire re-signed with the Chiefs in the offseason and has been a steady contributor since being drafted in 2020.

Saints OC Klint Kubiak calling plays from the booth again vs. 49ers

Klint Kubiak is still calling plays from the booth, not the New Orleans Saints sideline, against the San Francisco 49ers:

Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is calling plays from the booth, not the New Orleans Saints sideline, against the San Francisco 49ers. It’s the same setup the team used in last week’s preseason game with the Arizona Cardinals with quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko manning the sideline.

Saints head coach Dennis Allen has said he wants Kubiak calling plays from wherever he’s most comfortable, though he acknwoledged they would have to find what works best for the team if the setup wasn’t bringing in results.

We’ll see if things go different against San Francisco. The Saints offense didn’t really liven up in their first exhibition game but they’re obviously not showing off everything in their playbook right away. Hopefully they find better results against the reigning NFC champions. If the line of communication isn’t effective they’ll be forced to try a more conventional setup with Kubiak down on the field rather than the other end of a phone line.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy reacts to Alex Smith’s visit to training camp on Tuesday

Kansas City #Chiefs OC Matt Nagy reacts to former QB’s visit to training camp on Tuesday | @EdEastonJr

Many in the franchise appreciated Alex Smith’s tenure with the Kansas City Chiefs. Smith’s professionalism, strong play, and mentorship of a young Patrick Mahomes made him a welcome sight around the team.

Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy spoke with the media on Tuesday after practice about seeing the Chiefs’ former quarterback visiting Missouri Western State University.

“So, first of all, it’s been phenomenal seeing Alex. I was able to see him at the Super Bowl. (He is) such a rare person, just not the player, and we know him, but as a person as well, and what he’s been through. So it’s always great to see him back out here.”

Smith played under Nagy and head coach Andy Reid from 2013-2017, accumulating three Pro Bowl selections and finishing his last year in Kansas City as the league’s passer rating leader. He was traded before the 2018 season to Washington and suffered a life-threatening leg injury. He returned to the field against all odds to finish his career in 2020 as the NFL’s Comeback Player Of The Year.

New Saints play caller Klint Kubiak excited to work with Alvin Kamara

New Saints play caller Klint Kubiak is excited to work with Alvin Kamara: “He’s got a great skill set that we can do a lot of things with”

There aren’t many better examples of the New Orleans Saints’ decline than Alvin Kamara’s fall-off in recent years. A combination of factors — poor blocking, uninspired play calling, spotty quarterback play and the natural wear and tear of playing 100 games — have hurt him.

After earning a trip to the Pro Bowl in each of his first five years in the NFL, Kamara missed the event in each of the last two seasons. He’s scored just 10 touchdowns in his last 28 games after hitting the end zone 68 times in his first 73 games. The 4.5 yards per touch he averaged last season were the lowest of his career.

So getting him back on track might be a priority for Klint Kubiak, the Saints’ new offensive coordinator. He had a front-row seat to see how San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan weaponized Christian McCaffrey last year, which could be informative. Both running backs are known for their skills as pass-catchers with rare versatility. Kubiak spoke extensively with local media for the first time during rookie minicamp, and Kamara is one player he’s looking forward to deploying.

“I think it will be really fun to work with Alvin,” Kubiak said. “He’s got a great skill set that we can do a lot of things with. So it’s just up to us as coaches at identifying those things and him putting in the work.”

Kamara was one of the first players to meet with Kubiak after he joined the Saints, and that early exposure made a great first impression. His highlight reel speaks for itself, but Kubiak says those conversations with Kamara have opened his eyes to just what the playmaker can do in the offense he’s installing.

“He’s been in multiple times, up in my office, talking football. Getting some one-on-one time with him to teach the offense. Getting to know him a little bit, he’s a very bright player, I’m just now figuring out how bright he really is. It’ll be fun to load his plate up,” Kubiak added.

Both Sean Payton and Drew Brees pointed to Kamara as one of the most intelligent football players they had ever been around, so it isn’t too surprising to see Kubiak making a similar observation. Kamara took on more of a leadership role in recent years after Brees and Payton left the team, and it makes sense to keep the franchise touchdowns leader involved while laying their plans for 2024. Let’s see if it pays off to help revitalize Kamara’s career and get him back to the Pro Bowl.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Broncos announce Sean Payton’s two additions to coaching staff

The Broncos have hired Pete Carmichael (senior offensive assistant) and Jim Leonhard (defensive pass game coordinator/DBs coach).

The Denver Broncos confirmed two expected hires on Wednesday.

First, the Broncos brought in Pete Carmichael as a senior offensive assistant, a move that was previously reported. After that, the team added Jim Leonhard as defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach, another previously reported hire.

Carmichael, 52, worked with Denver head coach Sean Payton with the New Orleans Saints from 2006-2021. He served as the team’s offensive coordinator from 2009 through last season before being fired.

Leonhard, 41, played safety for 10 seasons in the NFL, including one year with the Broncos (2012) and one summer with Payton’s Saints (2013). He will replace Christian Parker as the team’s new DBs coach. Landing him as a position coach is a big hire for Denver.

Leonhard previously served as a defensive coordinator at Wisconsin, his alma mater, from 2017-2021 before being promoted to interim head coach in 2022. Leonhard then left the Badgers and spent one season as a senior football analyst with Illinois in 2023.

The Green Bay Packers offered Leonhard their defensive coordinator job in 2021 but he turned them down. Leonhard also interviewed for the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive coordinator opening in 2023. Leonhard will likely land a DC job at some point down the road. For now, the Broncos will have him coaching their defensive backs.

Those are two good hires for Payton’s staff.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]

Dennis Allen issues statement on hiring new OC Klint Kubiak

New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen issued a statement on the team hiring its new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak:

The New Orleans Saints have announced that Klint Kubiak will be officially hired as their new offensive coordinator, replacing Pete Carmichael — who had been the longest-tenured OC in the league. But change was needed, and it falls on Kubiak to install a new system that can maximize the talents of players like quarterback Derek Carr, running back Alvin Kamara, and wide receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.

One person who’s jazzed about the pickup: head coach Dennis Allen, who laid out Kubiak’s qualifications and expectations on Wednesday afternoon.

“We are excited to announce Klint Kubiak as our offensive coordinator,” Allen said in a team statement. “I want to thank the various impressive candidates that we interviewed throughout this process. Klint has done an excellent job in a variety of roles in ten years in the NFL and has valuable play-calling experience. He has played an important role in the growth of many players throughout his career, starting with the quarterback position. I look forward to us getting to work as we form our offensive staff and to see Klint lead that group, play a pivotal role in the development of our players on offense and maximize our strengths on offense.”

The Saints met with at least eleven different candidates before selecting Kubiak for the job — some of their first choices were hired by other teams, but their interest in Kubiak started early, and he chose New Orleans over some other opportunities. It’s clear that Allen has confidence Kubiak can modernize their offense and compete each week.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]