Almost every vacant NFL head coaching position going into the offseason has been filled. Only one job remains, the New Orleans Saints. Rumors have swirled about the open position since the regular season ended. Here is the latest on the job and who is in the running to be the Saints next head coach.
Latest On New Orleans Saints Head Coach Position
A couple of frequent names rumored around the New Orleans Saints open head coaching position include Mike McCarthy, Kellen Moore, and Kliff Kingsbury. Let’s take a deeper dive into these candidates and their potential fit in New Orleans.
Mike McCarthy
Mike McCarthy is a former Super Bowl winning head coach. He saw great success with the Green Bay Packers from 2006-2018, winning the Super Bowl in the 2010-11 season. More recently, McCarthy was the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 2020-2024. Dallas had regular season success with McCarthy, making the playoffs in three straight seasons from 2021-2023. However, in those three seasons, the Cowboys won just one playoff game, and failed to appear in an NFC Championship Game. McCarthy has a career head coaching record of 174-112-2, and a playoff record of 11-11.
In terms of his potential fit as the Saints head coach, McCarthy is a proven winner. The Saints roster has had a lot of question marks since future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees retired. McCarthy can provide some much needed stability to the locker room. He is also a great offensive coach, something the Saints organization is familiar with. They saw great success with former head coach Sean Payton from 2006-2021. The Saints have talent on the offensive side of the ball including running back Alvin Kamara and wide receiver Chris Olave. Although it is unclear if the Saints plans to keep Derek Carr as their quarterback, McCarthy could help maximize the talent on offense regardless of who is under center if named head coach.
Kellen Moore
Kellen Moore is currently the Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator, and they have seen great success on offense this season. Philadelphia clinched a trip to the Super Bowl on Sunday afternoon, and the offense scored a whopping 55 points. The Eagles were eighth in total yards per game, including second in rushing yards per game with an average of 179.3 per game. They have been an elite offense this season, and Moore is a major reason why the Eagles are playing in Super Bowl 59.
Before being hired in Philadelphia, Moore was the offensive coordinator with the Cowboys. In Dallas, Moore still saw offensive success. During the 2021 regular season, the Cowboys ranked first in yards per game and in points per game. Moore would bring a lot to the table as the Saints head coach. Similar to McCarthy, Moore would also help maximize the offensive talent the Saints have.
Kliff Kingsbury
Kliff Kingsbury, the Commanders offensive coordinator, is coming off of a matchup against the Eagles and Kellen Moore. Kingsbury and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels led an efficient Commanders offense to the NFC Championship Game. Washington ranked fifth in points per game and seventh in yards per game this season. Kingsbury was a huge factor in the development of Daniels.
Washington’s offense showed up in the playoffs as well, particularly against the Detroit Lions. The Commanders offense scored 45 points on the Lions defense in the Divisional Round. This could be a major boost to Kingsbury’s candidacy. Look for the New Orleans Saints to make a decision soon on their next head coach.
Main Photo: Tommy Gilligan – USA Today Sports
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