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Saints schedule interview with final head coach candidate Eric Bieniemy

Saints schedule interview with final candidate Eric Bieniemy; updates on the head coach search:

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Chiefs’ offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is interviewing Sunday in New Orleans for the Saints’ head coaching job.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 5, 2022

Here we go: the New Orleans Saints are flying in Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy for an interview in New Orleans on Sunday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports, with Nola.com’s Jeff Duncan adding that Bieniemy is the sixth and final candidate to meet with the Saints for the open head coaching job. The opportunity to run his own team and replace Sean Payton is big for Bieniemy, who has been passed over by many other teams in recent years.

The Saints met with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen on Friday, meaning Bieniemy needs to make a really great impression to unseat the favorite for the job. Hiring Allen would preserve a lot of continuity on the coaching staff — and it helps that he got a vote of support from Sean Payton during his outro press conference — so it’s up to Bieniemy to show New Orleans how he can steer the team into a new and positive direction.

It’s been a surprisingly thorough search for Payton’s successor. The Saints have met with candidates who have head coaching experience (like Allen, former Dolphins coach Brian Flores, and ex-Eagles coach Doug Pederson) as well as up-and-comers looking to make their mark on the NFL (such as Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn).

The team also shared mutual interest with former Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll before he took the Giants gig, while Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich didn’t interview with them after receiving permission from Tampa Bay. Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. declined an invitation to interview for the job. Of the nine candidates the Saints have considered, five have backgrounds on offense and three focus on defense, with a special teams coach also in the mix. Four of the coaches are minority candidates.

So it’s not like the Saints have just gone through the motions, checked off boxes, and quickly satisfied the Rooney Rule. They’ve lined up their best options and given each coach a fair opportunity to win them over. Hopefully it results in them hiring the right candidate, and it just might be Bieniemy. While Allen is still widely considered the front-runner, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on SportsCenter that Glenn made a strong impression, and that Glenn and Bieniemy are each “well-positioned” to earn the job. We’ll see how it shakes out in the days ahead.

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Pete Carmichael Jr. declined to interview for Saints head coaching job

Longtime Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. declined to interview for the team’s head coaching job:

Two of the New Orleans Saints’ three coordinators have taken a shot at the team’s open head coaching job, but offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. won’t be one of them. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill first reported that Carmichael was invited to interview for the position, but opted to remain in his current role; ESPN’s Mike Triplett confirmed that Carmichael chose to pass on the opportunity.

Carmichael, 50, has spent nearly his entire NFL coaching career in New Orleans as Sean Payton’s right-hand man. Initially named quarterbacks coach in 2006, he was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2009 and has held onto the job ever since. He’s interviewed for head coach vacancies with a couple of other teams over the years (most recently the Green Bay Packers in 2019), but for the most part he’s been comfortable with the title he has now. He must be familiar with the Peter Principle.

As for the Saints’ search: it’s down to a handful of candidates, including New Orleans defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi. Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores impressed the team in their meetings for the job, while ex-Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson was hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars after first interviewing with New Orleans.

But the most intriguing name on the list might be Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who is scheduled to meet with Saints brass on Sunday in New Orleans per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He’s a Super Bowl-winning play caller who helped draft and develop Patrick Mahomes out of Texas Tech. Nearly every team with a head coach opening has interviewed him in recent years, but he’s kept getting passed over. Maybe the Saints are the right match for him. They’ll have a tough decision to make after hosting Bieniemy for their sixth and final interview.

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Jaguars hire Doug Pederson as head coach; what it means for Saints’ search

There’s some movement: the Jacksonville Jaguars hired Doug Pederson as their new head coach, taking him out of consideration for the same job with the New Orleans Saints — Pederson, the Super Bowl-winning former Philadelphia Eagles coach, was the first candidate to interview with New Orleans. Now he’s working with second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

And this move brings some ramifications for the Saints. Beyond taking Pederson off the board, his arrival to Jacksonville also frees up Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich to pursue other opportunities. Leftwich was the other finalist for the Jaguars job, and while the Saints were given permission by Tampa Bay to interview him no meeting has been scheduled yet.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Friday that while the Saints, “also put in for Byron Leftwich, he did not end up taking the interview,” which makes it sound like he isn’t interested. Maybe he’s changed his mind now that Jacksonville is off the table, but it’s also possible that Leftwich intends to stay with the Buccaneers now that Tom Brady has retired, putting head coach Bruce Arians’ future in doubt. He’d be a natural successor if Arians re-enters retirement.

Another thing to consider is whether any Saints coaches will be recruited by Pederson in Jacksonville. When meeting with the Saints he surely would have discussed which assistants he would have wanted to retain or put into different roles. Pederson is already evaluating options to build his Jaguars staff, and it’s very possible he liked the idea of working with some New Orleans coaches enough to try and bring them aboard. The Saints are going to hire their own head coach sooner or later and some guys could be on the move. We shouldn’t be shocked if Pederson poaches some of them.

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Saints plan to interview Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy for head coaching job

The New Orleans Saints plan to interview Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy for their open head coaching job:

The Saints want to speak with Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy for the head coaching job, per sources. An interview could take place Saturday.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) February 3, 2022

There we go: the New Orleans Saints have added another candidate to their head coach search, with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler first reporting that the Saints have requested an interview with Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. News of New Orleans’ meeting with Bieniemy was confirmed by Nola.com’s Luke Johnson and NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill; an interview is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 5.

Bieniemy has drawn a lot of attention in recent years after helping to build up the vaunted Chiefs offense led by superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Here’s what I wrote of him when the Saints’ head coach search began:

“A New Orleans native who went to high school in California, Bieniemy’s name has come up frequently in annual head coach searches around the league, but he’s still working in the same role as Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator. And he’s excelled as Patrick Mahomes’ play caller, helping to design one of the NFL’s most creative and explosive offenses. As far as football performance goes he’s earned the right to run his own team twice over. But he’s been passed over again and again. Whether that’s due to poor interviews, a history of legal issues back in the 1990’s, or racial bias among NFL owners or some combination of those factors is unclear. But the Saints should give him a fair shot just like any other candidate.”

We’ll see how it goes. Bieniemy has interviewed with many teams before but so far none have chosen to hire him as their head coach. It’s an opportunity he’s earned, and now the Saints will get their own shot at making that decision.

The Saints have already made plans to interview in-house candidates like defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, as well as a former assistant coach in Aaron Glenn, while looking outside the box in meeting with former head coaches like Doug Pederson and Brian Flores. Adding Bieniemy to the mix makes a lot of sense, if nothing else to ensure they end up hiring the best candidate.

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Aaron Glenn eager for Saints head coach interview, but Dan Campbell feels nervous

Aaron Glenn eager for Saints head coach interview, but his boss Dan Campbell is feeling nervous:

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#Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is scheduled to interview with the Saints tomorrow. “To me, just getting the chance to be able express myself on how to be a head coach is more important than anything,” he said. Says he’ll put his best foot forward. pic.twitter.com/pEKEbwq63n

— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) February 1, 2022

Aaron Glenn has a lot of ties to the New Orleans Saints. He finished his 14-year playing career in black and gold back in 2008, and returned to New Orleans as a coach in 2016. His star rose rapidly after helping draft and develop standout defensive backs like Marshon Lattimore, Marcus Williams, and Vonn Bell, and it hurt when he left town with Dan Campbell to go try and fix the Detroit Lions.

And he showed a lot to like in his first year away from the Saints, coaching up his players and getting them to play hard every week. He’s got an eye for talent (before he turned to coaching, he worked as a personnel scout with the New York Jets in 2012 and 2013) and knows what it takes to win in this league. So it’s no surprise that the Saints, valuing continuity in the post-Sean Payton era, arranged an interview with Glenn for their open head coach position.

“To me, just getting the chance to be able express myself on how to be a head coach is more important than anything,” Glenn told ESPN’s Eric Woodyard Tuesday. He’s still going to take the opportunity to make his case, and it feels like only a matter of time until he’s running his own team someday.

He’s got the endorsement of his boss. When asked how he’s feeling about Glenn interviewing with their old team, Campbell was supportive, even if he’s worried about losing his right-hand man: “He’d be a great fit. That’s why I’m nervous.”

The Saints have cast a wide net, requesting interviews with a variety of candidates — three offensive-minded coaches, three others with defensive backgrounds, and their own special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi. Glenn has as strong a shot at landing the job as anyone. If nothing else, it’s great to see him drawing interest.

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Saints head coach search: Tracking every interview, request, and report

The Saints have cast a surprisingly wide net in their head coach search. Tracking every interview, request, and report:

The New Orleans Saints are taking their time in finding a new head coach after all these years with Sean Payton at the helm. They’ve scheduled interviews with multiple candidates and don’t appear to be settling for an in-house promotion — they’re surveying the market and patiently working through a list of who they believe to be the best candidates available. Good on them.

We’ll keep updating this list as needed. Here’s everything you need to know about the Saints head coach search:

Giants hire Brian Daboll as head coach, keeping Brian Flores in play for Saints

Giants hire Brian Daboll as head coach, keeping Brian Flores in play for Saints — who also requested an interview with Daboll:

The New York Giants wrapped up their head coach search on Friday by hiring Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll for the job, a move that carries several meaningful repercussions for the New Orleans Saints.

Let’s start with the obvious impact: Daboll was one of the finalists for this job, along with former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores — who has scheduled an interview with the New Orleans Saints in the near future about maybe replacing Sean Payton. Now that he isn’t in consideration for the Giants gig, Flores can freely interview with New Orleans.

But that’s not all. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that the Saints had asked for an interview of their own with Daboll, before he accepted the job in New York. So he was another top candidate on their radar, even if he and the team were unable to meet. That’s a consequence of entering the hiring cycle so late in the process.

The Saints have also scheduled a meeting with Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn in the days ahead, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, though it’s unclear yet if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers granted permission for a requested interview with offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich.

Per the NFL’s Rooney Rule, teams must meet with at least two minority candidates for executive positions (head coach and general manager), and it’s possible that New Orleans is just checking boxes by looking to speak with Flores, Glenn, or Leftwich before more seriously considering candidates like incumbent defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. But the number of interview requests they’re sending out and this interest in Daboll suggests they’re giving the head coach search the thoroughness it deserves. In the end, they’ll be better off for it.

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Report: Saints RB coach Joel Thomas interviewed for Idaho opening

Report: Saints running backs coach Joel Thomas interviewed for head coach opening at Idaho, his alma mater

Well that’s interesting. The Lewiston Tribune’s Stephan Wiebe reports that the Idaho Vandals interviewed New Orleans Saints running backs coach Joel Thomas for their head coach opening, along with nearly a dozen other candidates. Why the attention on Thomas?

It’s because he’s one of the Vandals’ most popular graduates. Thomas still holds the school records for rushing yards (3,929) and touchdown runs (51), and previously worked as their co-offensive coordinator back in 2004. A return to his alma mater has to be appealing for the 47-year-old, who would be replacing longtime head coach Paul Petrino.

Still, it’s early in the process, and there appears to be a wide range of candidates for the job. Other reports suggest Thomas isn’t even the leading candidate at this stage, but speculation is rampant as the national coaching carousel spins.

It would be great to see Thomas get this opportunity but at the same time you’ve got to wonder how much more turnover Sean Payton’s coaching staff can take; New Orleans lost four position coaches this offseason and could use the continuity Thomas offers, having held his post since 2015. It would be surprising to see him leave during the season, but stranger things have happened. If he does go let’s hope it turns out better for him than it did Joe Brady.

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Watch: Tommy Rees tells Notre Dame team he’s BACK

Watch Tommy Rees tell Notre Dame football team he’s coming back (in person).

Tommy Rees is back as Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator. He’s not going to Baton Rouge and joining the LSU coaching staff.

Rees didn’t waste any time getting that message across to his team as he addressed them Wednesday night. Notre Dame’s social media team was there to catch it, quickly fade out some four letter words, and get it out to the masses. Watch it below as he says no less than three times how important it is for him to tell the team in person.

“This is where my heart is.”@T_Rees11 | #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/n8aVHm7GsB

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 2, 2021

“I love you guys, I love this place, and I believe we can win a national championship here.” – Tommy Rees

Reports have Marcus Freeman becoming Notre Dame’s next head coach but we have no video of any that…yet. Stay tuned.

Related:

Notre Dame coaching staff wish list

Opinion: The right choice to be Notre Dame’s next head coach

Hand over the keys, Jack.

I grew up in a home where we didn’t have many new cars during my childhood but instead had plenty of new, used cars. That meant more trips to car dealerships than from the majority, if not all of my friends.

One thing I took away from my dad during those trips were that no matter what deal was promised or pressure was applied, he would always go home to sleep on his thoughts before making a decision so big. The next day he’d then either go back if he still liked the deal or carry on looking for that next vehicle elsewhere.

When I went to bed last night I was thinking the same thing in regards to the Notre Dame coaching search. There are clearly a ton of routes to go, but to me there is one candidate that makes all of the sense even if his background doesn’t perfectly fit the mold of what has worked in the past for Notre Dame hirings.

I wasn’t ready to endorse it last night because of his lack of head coaching experience and the parallels I find to Bob Davie’s resume nearly 25 years ago. It’s a concern but it’s not a deal-breaker. Certainly not with what’s at stake.

Marcus Freeman should be the next head football coach at Notre Dame.

Next: Why Freeman?

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