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Rams QB coach Zac Robinson interviewed for Saints offensive coordinator job

Rams quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator Zac Robinson has a busy schedule, but he made time to interview for the Saints OC opening:

Los Angeles Rams quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator Zac Robinson has a busy schedule, but he made time to interview for the New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator opening, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. So far, the Saints have interviewed all four candidates they’ve requested time with in this year’s hiring cycle.

Robinson has had a lot of offers hit his inbox. The MMQB’s Albert Breer reports that he previously interviewed with the Chicago Bears (before they hired Shane Waldron, another Saints target, for the same job) and he has a meeting scheduled Tuesday with the New England Patriots — with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders both requesting interviews of their own.

Why so much interest? Robinson has worked closely with Rams head coach Sean McVay during the last five years, starting out as the team’s assistant quarterbacks coach in 2019 and climbing the ladder to his current position. He’s coached both quarterbacks and wide receivers for L.A. and while he hasn’t called plays, he has learned from one of the best. He’s in high demand. Let’s see if the Saints can land him.

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Bears closing in on deal with Saints OC target Shane Waldron

The Bears are closing in on a deal with Saints offensive coordinator target Shane Waldron, taking their best-qualified candidate off the board:

This is a tough blow: the Chicago Bears are expected to hire former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, a top candidate in the New Orleans Saints’ search for their next play caller. Pens haven’t been put to paper but multiple reports suggest that final formality is in the works. Waldron is off the market.

Waldron was the best-qualified candidate the Saints reached out to interview in recent days given his success in Seattle and proximity to Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay (who Waldron worked under from 2017 to 2020, before being hired away by the Seahawks).

It makes sense that he wanted to go to Chicago, where he’ll have the ability to tailor his offense to Justin Fields or share input on which rookie quarterback prospect the Bears should pick with the first overall pick in the 2024 draft. That’s a more appealing opportunity than trying to sustain Derek Carr’s strong finish to the 2023 season after an embarrassingly poor start.

He was also the oldest at 44; the other candidates the Saints are reportedly pursuing are between 37 and 35 years old. So now the Saints will pivot to those other options and maybe consider more people from outside the building. Stay tuned.

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Saints seek interview with Seahawks OC Shane Waldron for the same position

The Saints requested an interview with Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, the strongest candidate they’ve sought out thus far:

This is interesting: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first reported that the New Orleans Saints requested an interview with Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron for the same position, making him the best-qualified coach they’ve looked to thus far.

Waldron, 44, has worked as the Seahawks offensive coordinator since 2021 after spending half a decade as one of Sean McVay’s top assistants. He worked under McVay in Washington during the 2016 season and followed McVay to the Rams in 2017, initially coaching tight ends before being promoted to passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

He’s an experienced play caller who favors concepts popular around the league these days, leaning hard on play action and pre-snap motion to keep defenses on their toes. In a lot of ways Waldron is exactly the kind of coach Saints fans have been asking for. With Pete Carroll on the outs in Seattle and a new staff likely to be assembled, there’s a good chance Waldron could see a better opportunity in New Orleans. Stay tuned.

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Saints request interview with Rams QB coach Zac Robinson

The ongoing Saints offensive coordinator search added another name: the team requested an interview with Rams QB coach Zac Robinson

Here’s another name added to the New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator search: Los Angeles Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson, who also works as the team’s pass game coordinator. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill first reported that the Saints requested an interview with Robinson for their OC opening.

Robinson, 37, has been with the Rams since 2019 while working with both their quarterbacks and wide receivers, though he’s held his current titles for two years. He was credited for helping the L.A. offense stay afloat during a chaotic 2022 season in which four different quarterbacks started games after an injury sidelined Matthew Stafford.

It’s clear now that the Saints are looking for someone from Sean McVay’s coaching tree to help liven up their offense, which makes sense given the success his system has found around the league. Former Rams offensive line coach Kevin Carberry joined the New Orleans staff last offseason so there’s some familiarity here. We’ll see if anything comes of it.

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Raiders interview former Saints co-DC Kris Richard for head coach job

The Raiders interviewed former Saints co-defensive coordinator Kris Richard for their open head coach job:

Here’s a name we hadn’t heard from in a while: Kris Richard. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Las Vegas Raiders interviewed the former New Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach for their head coach opening on Tuesday. Richard was out of the NFL in 2023 after parting ways with the Saints last offseason.

And he wasn’t the only candidate to discuss the opportunity with the Raiders. Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier also interviewed for the opening, but all signs point to owner Mark Davis going with interim head coach Antonio Pierce. So while these interviews were conducted to satisfy the Rooney Rule by considering external minority candidates, it’s possible either Richard or Frazier could still end up on staff.

Richard has interviewed for several head coach openings over the years after successful runs with the Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, and the Saints as a defensive play caller and position coach. We’ll see if anything materializes on this front in the days ahead.

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Tommy Rees update in regards to Alabama opening

Roll Tommy?

Thursday we saw news that former Notre Dame quarterback and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees had interviewed for the head coach opening at Alabama.

In the early hours of Friday morning he remains a possibility to be the next head coach but certainly doesn’t appear to be a favorite.

The following is from a 247Sports report by Brandon Marcello:

The names to watch heading into Friday at Alabama are Washington’s Kalen DeBoer, Florida State’s Mike Norvell and Tide offensive coordinator Tommy Rees,sources told 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello earlier Thursday.

Rees is viewed as a long-shot.

Rees is only 31 and I’d still be shocked if he ends up getting the job.  My money remains on Lane Kiffin until we hear otherwise, but if Alabama wanted to do the Duke basketball type thing and have Saban still oversee things in a big way but have a younger coach, then Rees becomes what Jon Scheyer does for the Blue Devils.

Just thinking out loud.  Stay tuned as there could be major movement in regards to the next Alabama head coach today.

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Notre Dame booster calls OC debacle ‘A very bad look’

This was Chicago Bears-like and not in the form of the ’85 squad.

If you know anything about the University of Notre Dame beyond the football program, you’re certainly familiar with the college of business. Let me correct myself: The Mendoza College of Business.

As you’re aware, you don’t get your name on an elite university’s college of business for winning a raffle. You obviously have to donate a substantial amount of money to get such a thing.

Meet Tom Mendoza, a Notre Dame graduate and the former president and vice chairman of Net App. Under his direction, Net App was named the top place to work by Fortune Magazine’s 2009 rankings of the best places to work.

You can follow Mendoza on Twitter, and you should if you’re a Notre Dame fan. He keeps a close eye on the athletic program and other university happenings. Like the rest of us paying attention, Mendoza clearly wasn’t impressed with what went down as Notre Dame fumbled the potential Andy Ludwig hiring.

Notre Dame offensive coordinator candidate: Collin Klein

Thoughts on the newest name to enter the party (that we now know about)?

Notre Dame has a vacancy at offensive coordinator after Tommy Rees took the same position on Nick Saban’s Alabama staff in early February. Where will Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame turn for their new offensive coordinator?

Here at Fighting Irish Wire, we are giving you a bio and career summary of some of the coaches that emerge as candidates. We’re also making an effort for some guest contributors who have either followed or covered each potential candidate’s coaching careers.

The latest candidate to emerge is Kansas State offensive coordinator Collin Klein. For those unfamiliar, his story sounds a lot like one we just heard a week ago at Notre Dame. Here’s what to know and a few of the things you have to like about the former Heisman Trophy finalist.

Cardinals to interview Mike Kafka after meeting with Sean Payton

The Arizona Cardinals have scheduled three head coach interviews after meeting with Sean Payton, adding Mike Kafka as a third candidate to their list:

Sean Payton’s job prospects suddenly look tenuous. The Arizona Cardinals have scheduled three head coach interviews after meeting with former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, adding New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka as a third candidate to their list, per multiple reports.

This follows earlier reports of the Cardinals scheduling head coach interviews with both of the Cincinnati Bengals coordinators — Brian Callahan (offense) and Lou Anarumo (defense). So Arizona owner Michael Bidwill spent last Thursday talking with Payton at the team facility before driving him back to the airport, mulled things over during the weekend, and decided to restart his team’s search for a head coach altogether.

Maybe it means something, maybe it doesn’t. Bidwill is at least being thorough here and patiently meeting with a slew of candidates. He probably wants to make certain that Payton is his best option before inking a deal paying out $20 to $25 million annually. It’s tough for the Saints, though, who badly need this saga to end soon with Payton being traded to another team in exchange for lucrative draft pick compensation. Let’s see how this story develops further.

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Cardinals request more head coach interviews, adding competition for Sean Payton

The Cardinals requested interviews with Bengals coordinators Lou Anarumo and Brian Callahan, adding competition for Sean Payton in Arizona’s head coach search:

For a minute there it looked like Sean Payton would be the last man standing in the Arizona Cardinals head coach search, but the Cincinnati Bengals’ loss in the AFC championship game on Sunday put a couple of new names into contention. NFL Network reports that the Cardinals have requested permission to interview Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo (via Peter Schrager) as well as Cincinnati offensive coordinator Brian Callahan (via Tom Pelissero) for their open head coach position.

So both Bengals coordinators could be added to the mix, if they want to pursue this job. Anarumo and Callahan have proven instrumental in Cincinnati’s success — helping the Bengals reach the Super Bowl last year and return to the conference title game this time around. It wouldn’t be a shock to see either of them hired away by Arizona.

Which wouldn’t be good for the Saints, who need Payton to be traded this offseason so they can receive some much-needed draft picks. New Orleans is one of five teams that doesn’t own a pick in the first round of this year’s NFL draft, and trading Payton to another franchise is their easiest path to getting back there. Even if they can’t get a first rounder for him, adding a bevy of second- and third-round picks would be a fine consolation prize (it’s not like the Saints have drafted well in the first round in recent years, anyway).

So stay tuned to find out whether Callahan or Anarumo even agree to interview with Arizona, and whether they impress strongly enough to be offered the job. Payton has said he expects some movement and hirings around the league this week, so hopefully this saga will get resolved soon one way or another.

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