Derek Carr Expected To Draw Trade Interest If Saints Move On
The Jets will not have Aaron Rodgers in the fold next season, meaning the team is committed to moving in a new direction under center. The Saints also have a notable call to make regarding their veteran quarterback. 
Derek Carr is on the books for the next two years, and his compensation for the coming season represents a potential sticking point for New Orleans. A $10MM roster bonus is due for 2025, and early in the new league year next month the 33-year-old’s $30MM base salary is set to vest. A decision will need to be made before that point as a result.
Given the inconsistent nature of Carr’s two seasons to date (not to mention that fact he was limited to 10 games in 2024), the Saints could look to move on. In the event that were to take place, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network notes a market would likely exist for Carr’s services (video link). No commitment either way has been made at this point, something which obviously remain the case until a head coaching hire is made.
General manager Mickey Loomis said last month the team’s next HC will have a say in deciding how the organization proceeds with Carr. The longtime Raider is by far the most experienced option on New Orleans’ depth chart, but turning to Spencer Rattler or Jake Haener would allow for the Saints to operate with a much less expensive QB starter. Considering the fact the team is once again projected to be well over the salary cap, financial savings would certainly be welcomed at any position. Carr has made it clear he is not prepared to accept a pay cut.
The Saints are of course the only team in the NFL without a head coach at the moment, but that will likely change shortly. Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is universally expected to be hired when New Orleans is allowed to bring him into the fold (i.e. any time after tonight’s Super Bowl). The former Cowboys and Chargers OC played as a quarterback, and expectations will be high for the Saints’ offense in general and the team’s play at that position in particular provided he is hired. A key decision will need to be made by Moore and Co. shortly after his (presumed) arrival, though.
As Garafolo notes, the pending free agent quarterback class is not well regarded. Aside from Sam Darnold, the likes of Rodgers, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson and – in the likely event the Falcons cut bait this offseason – Kirk Cousins are the top veteran options suitors will have to choose from. Especially with the crop of 2025 rookies viewed as lacking in clear-cut franchise passers, Carr could be a suitable short-term addition in the eyes of at least some suitors.
A Carr trade before June 1 would create over $11MM in cap savings for the Saints, but it would generate a dead money charge of more than $40MM. Waiting until after that date to trade (or, for that matter, release) him would be much more beneficial from a financial perspective. A direction will need to be chosen along a much shorter timeline, however, so it will be interesting to see how the Saints proceed.
2025 Hall Of Fame Class Unveiled
As part of tonight’s NFL Honors program, the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class has been revealed. It consists of just four players this year. Here is the full breakdown of the 2025 class:
Eric Allen, cornerback (1988-2001)
Playing long enough to be part of the Reggie White–Jerome Brown Eagles defenses to Jon Gruden‘s Raiders teams, Allen excelled well into his 30s and is one of the great playmaking cornerbacks in NFL history. Allen is responsible for eight pick-sixes, cramming seven of them between the 1993 and 2001 seasons. Allen finished his 14-year career with 54 INTs, which is tied for 21st in NFL history.
The Eagles drafted Allen in the 1988 second round and installed him as a starter on Buddy Ryan‘s defense in Week 1 of his rookie season. Allen intercepted 13 passes over his first two years, helping the Eagles — with White at the wheel — form a dominant defensive nucleus. The Eagles won the NFC East in Allen’s rookie season, ending a five-year playoff drought. As Randall Cunningham soared on offense, Allen patrolled the back line of a defense geared around one of the NFL’s all-time greats. Allen joins White as the Hall of Famers from that unit.
Allen notched four pick-sixes during the 1993 season, including this gem against the Jets, but the Eagles fell short of the playoffs that year and dipped a bit as the Cunningham years waned. Allen still made the Pro Bowl each year from 1991-95, following a first-team All-Pro honor in 1989. He signed with the Saints as a free agent in 1995, playing three years in New Orleans, before joining the Raiders in Gruden’s first offseason at the controls.
As the Raiders hoarded aging players who still had plenty left in the tank during Gruden’s first stint as HC, Allen was among the most productive. He nabbed six INTs at age 35 in 2000, returning three for scores. That season snapped a seven-year Raiders playoff skid and produced a run to the AFC championship game — the franchise’s first in 17 years. Allen retired after the ’01 season, starting 214 games. Among pure corners, that ranks third all time. While the turnover counts aided Allen, his longevity will send him to Canton nearly 25 years after his retirement.
Jared Allen, defensive end (2004-15)
One of the best sack artists of his era, Jared Allen will make this a two-Allen class (on a big night for NFL Allens). Jared excelled for the Chiefs and Vikings, being part of a win-win trade in 2008, and then retired after playing in Super Bowl 50 as a Panther. Allen sits 12th in the sack era (1982-present) in QB drops, racking up 136 despite playing only 12 seasons.
The Chiefs drafted Allen in the 2004 fourth round out of Division I-FCS Idaho State. He immediately became an impact edge rusher but joined a team in transition. As Kansas City’s offense-oriented team aged, Allen ascended and became a star for a franchise in decline. After the Chiefs made the playoffs in 2006 under first-year HC Herm Edwards, Allen led the NFL with 15.5 sacks in his fourth season. The 2007 Chiefs went 4-12, losing their final nine games. The Chiefs cashed out on a player who had encountered off-field trouble, in the form of two 2006 DUIs, early in his career. The trade equipped both the Chiefs and Vikings.
During the 2008 draft, Kansas City dealt Allen to Minnesota for first- and third-round picks. A win-win swap sent tackle Branden Albert and running back Jamaal Charles to the Chiefs in the ’08 draft, while Allen landed an extension (six years, $73.26MM) enjoyed his prime in the Twin Cities. Registering 14.5 sacks in back-to-back seasons, the second effort falling just short of a Super Bowl after Minnesota’s Brett Favre-led team lost in overtime in the NFC championship game, Allen then made a run at the NFL record in 2011. Allen tallied 22 sacks during the ’11 season, falling a half-sack short of Michael Strahan‘s official record.
Allen played out his Vikings contract in 2013, signing with the Bears. Chicago then traded him to Carolina for a conditional sixth-round pick during the 2015 season, as he joined fellow former Bear Charles Tillman in going for a championship with the Panthers. Although Carolina went 15-1 and ranked sixth defensively, the team’s high-powered offense fell to a superior Denver defense in Super Bowl 50. Allen needed to wait a bit before his induction, but he has gained entry in this year’s unusually small class.
Antonio Gates, tight end (2003-18)
Gates remains the NFL’s leader among touchdown receptions by a tight end. The longtime Philip Rivers target totaled 116 TD grabs during his 16-year career, bettering Tony Gonzalez‘s mark by five. Gonzalez also played 17 seasons (to Gates’ 16). Gates tied Gonzalez’s then-record in 2016, posting five TDs across his final two seasons. The converted basketball player’s mid-2000s surge helped the Chargers win four straight AFC West titles to close the decade.
The Chargers made Gates an integral part of that climb, which remains the franchise’s best sustained stretch since its Air Coryell years. LaDainian Tomlinson shattered the single-season touchdown record, which still stands nearly 20 years later, and Gates broke through as an impact tight end. The Chargers built their passing attack around Gates for many years, and he helped anchor the team’s skill-position group in between Tomlinson’s exit and Keenan Allen‘s arrival.
Initially playing alongside Drew Brees, the ex-Kent State hooper earned first-team All-Pro honors in his second, third and fourth seasons. Gates only suited up for the Chargers, walking away after his age-38 season. The Bolts and Gates agreed to five contracts, the most lucrative a five-year, $36.2MM extension in 2010.
Although Gates needed to wait a year before being enshrined, he is one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. His 116 TD receptions rank seventh all time at any position. While his production tailed off as he hit his mid-30s, after making eight consecutive Pro Bowls from 2004-11, the former UDFA remained a solid red zone target for Rivers.
Sterling Sharpe, wide receiver (1988-94)
If the NFL had a No. 1 contender status to Jerry Rice during his peak, Sharpe would have been the best answer. The star Packers pass catcher was 5-for-7 in Pro Bowl nods, during an era where that meant more, and raced to three All-Pro first teams during a career cut short by a neck injury.
Sharpe was close to doing enough for Hall entry by the time he retired at 29, and he exited just before Favre grew into MVP form. In Favre’s early years, however, Sharpe helped the Green Bay trade acquisition become one of the game’s best.
The No. 7 overall pick in a 1988 draft that also included Hall of Famers Michael Irvin and Tim Brown, Pro Bowler Anthony Miller and single-game receiving yardage king Flipper Anderson, Sharpe was the first wideout off the board. The physical South Carolina product, who entered the league two years before brother Shannon (and with much greater fanfare), posted a 1,400-yard season in 1989, helping QB Don Majkowski finish second in MVP voting. Sharpe added another 1,100-yard year in 1990 and soared back to the All-Pro level when the Pack landed Favre in ’92.
Sharpe’s first year with Favre featured the wideout break Art Monk’s single-season record by catching 108 passes. Becoming the first receiver to post back-to-back seasons with 100 catches, Sharpe broke his own mark with 112 grabs in 1993. Sharpe led the NFL in touchdown receptions in 1992 (13) and ’94 (18), reaching the latter perch despite dealing with the neck injury and other ailments.
The Favre-Sharpe connection played a central role in the Packers snapping a 10-year playoff drought, and in the duo’s first playoff game, they hooked up on a game-winning score to beat the Lions in Detroit. Sharpe scored three touchdowns in Green Bay’s wild-card win. Sharpe never missed a game and retired ranking 13th in career catches (595) and 18th all time in TD receptions (65).
NFC Coaching Notes: Cowboys, Saints, Bucs, Hall, Panthers, 49ers, Cards, Bears
The Cowboys are looking to the college level to fill their running backs coaching position; both candidates have histories in Dallas. The team turned to one of its former running backs — Tashard Choice — as a recent interviewee, All DLLS’ Clarence Hill notes. Choice is the Texas Longhorns’ RBs coach, having held that job for the past three seasons. A Cowboys running back from 2008-11, Choice wrapped his playing career after the 2013 season. He spent the 2016 campaign as a Cowboys intern. The team is also interviewing Oregon RBs coach Ra’Shaad Samples for the job, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris. Staples is a Dallas native who coached in the area while at SMU from 2019-21; his interview went well, per Hill. The one-year Ducks assistant is best known in NFL circles for being the Rams’ RBs coach in 2022; he left for an Arizona State assistant job before that season ended.
Here is the latest from the NFC side of the coaching carousel:
- The Buccaneers are backing up the report they were ready to block Liam Coen from poaching assistants. After blocking O-line coach Kevin Carberry from meeting with the Jaguars, the Bucs are preventing assistant O-line coach Brian Picucci from doing the same, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. This one is a bit more interesting, as Picucci followed Coen from Kentucky to Tampa Bay. NFL rules allow teams to block contracted assistants from moves if they do not involve a promotion to head coach or coordinator. Coen left the Bucs after avoiding contact with high-ranking staffers, and GM Jason Licht is not believed to be too happy with the exit.
- Another Bucs staffer who will remain in place: Larry Foote. The linebackers coach interviewed for the Lions’ DC job, being the team’s only outside candidate before a Kelvin Sheppard promotion, but will not leave for a job anywhere else. Foote told the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud he is staying. The former linebacker has enjoyed a long assistant tenure with the Bucs; this will be his seventh season with the team.
- DeAngelo Hall‘s stint on the Panthers‘ staff is over, per the Charlotte Observer’s Mike Kaye. The team had hired the former Pro Bowl cornerback as assistant DBs coach during Frank Reich‘s months-long HC stint. Hall, however, could land on his feet soon. The 49ers are interviewing him for their DBs coach position, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds. Hall and Kyle Shanahan overlapped for four seasons in Washington during the early 2010s.
- Moving back to the Cowboys, their Klayton Adams OC hire did not surprise the Cardinals. But the NFC West team was monitoring a potential relocation to New Orleans as well. The Cards expected their previous O-line coach to join Brian Schottenheimer or follow Kellen Moore to the Saints, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. Moore has not taken the New Orleans job yet, but he is the favorite. Both Moore and Adams are Boise State alums, though their Idaho stays did not overlap.
- Elsewhere on Arizona’s staff, the team has identified new line coaches. Justin Frye is coming aboard as O-line coach, and Winston DeLattiboudere is heading to the desert as D-line coach, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and 247 Sports’ Matt Zenitz and Ryan Burns report. DeLattiboudere comes over from the University of Minnesota and is rising fast; we have a Gen Z coach here, as the two-year Golden Gophers D-line coach is 27. He spent the 2022 season with the Packers as a Bill Walsh diversity coaching fellow. Frye has considerably more experience and is coming off three seasons as Ohio State’s O-line coach. The Bears interviewed Frye for their O-line job. The ex-Chip Kelly assistant is also not following his two-time boss (also at UCLA) to Las Vegas, being set to camp elsewhere in the desert.
- The Bears are still working on filling out Ben Johnson‘s staff. They interviewed Florida assistant Gerald Chatman for the D-line coach position, Zenitz adds. A Bengals defensive assistant from 2019-20, Chatman spent the 2024 season at Florida.
Saints, Kellen Moore To Meet Again After Super Bowl
Signs continue to point to Kellen Moore becoming the Saints’ next head coach. The parties have already interviewed twice, but another meeting is being arranged. 
Since the Eagles are set to play in the upcoming Super Bowl, their offensive coordinator cannot agree to the New Orleans gig at this time. After the big game, though, he and the Saints plan to meet once again, per Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Other candidates have been informed of this by general manager Mickey Loomis, per the report as well as Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.
No final decision has been made, of course, but this latest update comes as no surprise. Moore was recently joined by former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy as a top candidate, but the latter has since withdrawn from consideration. That leaves Moore firmly in the lead for the lone remaining HC opportunity in the NFL. Darren Rizzi, who finished the 2024 campaign as the Saints’ interim head coach, looms as an alternative at this stage of the search process.
Throughout the early stages of the 2025 hiring cycle, it became clear many of the top candidates on the market were not enthused about taking charge of the Saints. Aaron Glenn represented an exception in that regard, although he wound up being hired by the Jets before his second New Orleans interview took place. Follow-up meetings have been held with Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka as well as Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, but they will need to wait more than one week to find out if Moore is officially hired.
Presuming that will take place when possible, the 35-year-old will begin his first NFL head coaching position in 2025. Shortly after his playing career ended, Moore worked with the Cowboys for five years (including four as OC). That was followed by a single campaign as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator and, for 2024, the same role with the Eagles. Philadelphia’s ground game has played a major role in the team’s success this year, and it could make him the latest staffer to parlay an Eagles OC gig into a first-time head coaching position.
The Saints’ roster is understandably not seen as one with a high ceiling as things stand, and the quarterback position is unsettled in the case of Derek Carr (especially beyond next year). New Orleans’ next head coach will have a say in shaping the team’ direction under center, and it continues to look as though that task will fall to Moore in the near future.
Darren Rizzi Expected To Become ST Coordinator In Denver
After seeing Antonio Pierce be awarded the full-time head coaching position in Las Vegas after a stint as the interim in 2023 — the first time an interim coach has been given the opportunity since 2017 — it doesn’t appear we’ll see this again in 2024. The Jets and Bears have both moved on from interim coaches Jeff Ulbrich and Thomas Brown, respectively, and though the Saints job is still up for grabs, it’s becoming unlikely that interim coach Darren Rizzi will win the position. 
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, with the Saints zeroing in on Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as their new head coach, Rizzi is expected to become the new special teams coordinator for the Broncos.
While this marks a failure to return to New Orleans as head coach, it will be a reunion of sorts with Rizzi and Broncos head coach Sean Payton. Rizzi first joined the Saints as special teams coordinator in 2019 under Payton, working under him for three seasons. When Payton retired and Dennis Allen took over, Rizzi stuck around with the additional title of assistant head coach before eventually taking over as interim head coach.
This move would also mark a reunion with kicker Wil Lutz. The 30-year-old special teamer arrived in New Orleans three years ahead of Rizzi in 2016, but it wasn’t until Rizzi showed up in 2019 that Lutz earned his first and only Pro Bowl appearance. Lutz played three seasons under Rizzi, missing the 2021 NFL season on injured reserve, before following Payton to Denver.
If Rizzi does indeed end up with the Broncos, it will be his third coordinator position with his third NFL franchise, his first coordinator position coming in 10 years with the Dolphins. His name has been rumored in Denver ever since the team fired former special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, opening the door for a familiar face.
As Moore continues to be the point of focus in New Orleans, it seems likely that Rizzi will find his way back to Payton’s staff. Nothing is official quite yet, though, as the Broncos are still required to conduct a full and complete coordinator search.
Coaching Rumors: Moore, Saints, Rizzi, Cowboys, Bears, Jets, Panthers, Hill, Raiders
With Mike McCarthy following Joe Brady and Kliff Kingsbury out of the Saints HC pursuit, Kellen Moore looms as the presumptive favorite. While SI.com’s Albert Breer agrees with that classification, he does not view Darren Rizzi as being out of the running. Rizzi interviewed for the position, though Mike Kafka and Anthony Weaver have conducted two interviews. Seeing the Saints lose some bigger names could influence them to revisit Rizzi as a viable candidate. While this would be an unorthodox move — both due to Rizzi’s interim status and background in special teams — it is fairly clear the New Orleans job is not viewed as particularly attractive right now.
If Rizzi does not land the job, a reunion with Sean Payton in Denver may await. Here is the latest out of the coaching ranks:
- The Jets hired Steve Wilks over Chris Harris for their DC post, but CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes that the latter should not be discounted from coming to New York as well. Harris has been a regular on the DC carousel in recent years, Harris stayed with the Titans despite the team firing Mike Vrabel. A role similar to what he holds in Tennessee, that of pass-game coordinator, could await in New York.
- Former Chargers DC Renaldo Hill is signing on with the Panthers, according to The Athletic’s Joe Person. This will mark a return to the league after a year off for the former NFL safety; he had previously worked as the Dolphins’ defensive pass-game coordinator under Vic Fangio. Although Person notes the Panthers have a safeties job available, Hill’s title is not known. Carolina is also adding Rams assistant AC Carter as their OLBs coach, the Charlotte Observer’s Mike Kaye adds. Carter has been the Rams’ assistant D-line coach for the past two years. He made his NFL debut as a Broncos quality control staffer under Ejiro Evero in 2022.
- The Bears spoke with Lunda Wells about a job recently, but the Cowboys are keeping him. Dallas has reached an extension to retain its tight ends coach, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. We heard earlier this week Brian Schottenheimer would likely keep Wells, who came over along with McCarthy in 2020.
- Elsewhere on the Chicago staff, the team interviewed Ohio State assistant Justin Frye for its O-line coach position, per the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs. Frye has only worked at the college level, topping out as UCLA’s OC under Chip Kelly. The former Bruins HC rejoined his ex-assistant at Ohio State last year; Frye has been coaching Buckeyes blockers since 2022, collecting a national championship ring this past season. Tulane O-line coach Dan Roushar is also expected to interview, Biggs adds. Roushar spent 10 seasons with the Saints (2013-22), before making an in-state move back to the college level.
- On the defensive side, the Bears are also making a move. Ben Johnson is adding Birmingham Stallions assistant Bill Johnson as his D-line coach, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Johnson, 69, served as both an O-line and D-line coach with the USFL-then-UFL franchise. He has been out of the NFL since 2018, when he served as Rams D-line coach. He was on LSU’s national championship-winning staff in the same role a year later. Bill Johnson’s longest NFL stay came with New Orleans (2009-16), but he has nearly 20 years’ experience in the league.
- The Raiders made news Wednesday night by agreeing to keep Patrick Graham as DC; Pete Carroll will be Graham’s third HC in Las Vegas. More continuity is coming for a new regime still, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adding the team is retaining special teams coordinator Tom McMahon. In coaching for more than 30 years, McMahon has served as ST coordinator for the Rams, Chiefs, Colts, Broncos and Raiders; he has been in Vegas since 2022.
- Northern Illinois HC Thomas Hammock is generating some looks from the NFL. At least three teams have reached out about a potential position coach role, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Hammock has been the Northern Illinois leader since 2019 but previously enjoyed a stint as Ravens RBs coach. The Huskies picked up a signature win last season by upsetting Notre Dame.
NFC South Notes: Bucs, Brooks, Saints
As the post-Super Bowl LV offseason showed and last year reaffirmed, the Buccaneers are high on retaining talent. Those waves of re-signings and extensions involved numerous core players staying, and last year’s effort included Mike Evans re-signing on a third contract. Evans’ deal preceded the Bucs drafting Jalen McMillan in the third round. Tasked with a bigger role after Chris Godwin‘s season-ending ankle injury, McMillan impressed down the stretch — to the point the Bucs could use a rookie-contract wideout to replace their longtime WR2. But it does not appear Tampa Bay has given up on keeping their long-running wideout tandem intact.
Multiple execs informed ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler they expect the Bucs to attempt to re-sign Godwin, who played out a three-year, $60MM deal. Tampa Bay had twice franchise-tagged Godwin, giving him an extension in 2022, but has seen him suffer two major injuries. Then again, the Bucs re-upped the talented Evans sidekick — the second-leading receiver in franchise history — months after an ACL tear. Godwin, 28, would stand to have a nice market if he hit free agency for the first time. The Bucs have until March 10 to prevent that, but the team has also done very well — as the Shaquil Barrett, Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean deals show — to re-sign players even if they do test the market.
Here is the latest from the NFC South:
- After Liam Coen avoided contact with Bucs brass during his secret negotiations with the Jaguars, a report indicated Tampa Bay was unlikely to do its former OC any favors regarding assistant coaches. The Bucs are not prepared to let contracted staffers follow Coen to Jacksonville, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the team blocked O-line coach Kevin Carberry from interviewing for the same position with the Jags. Carberry worked with Coen in Los Angeles and came to Tampa last year, but unless a promotion to OC would be in the offing, the Bucs can block interview requests involving assistants.
- Jonathon Brooks re-tore the right ACL he injured in college, and the Panthers running back is not expected to be ready to start the 2025 season. The 2024 second-round pick may not factor prominently into that campaign. Brooks underwent surgery last week, per The Athletic’s Joe Person, who adds the Panthers hope the running back would be ready to return before season’s end. A definitive timeline is not yet in place, but Carolina will not be expecting an Adrian Peterson-like recovery from a player who now has sustained two ACL tears since November 2023. It took Brooks until November 24 to debut for the Panthers. He suffered the latest tear Dec. 8. Two years of Brooks’ four-year rookie contract figure to be dominated by missed time.
- Chris Olave suffered two concussions during the season; the second knocked him out for the Saints‘ eight games. The former first-round pick visited specialists, and while he did not don a game uniform again, he did return to practice. Olave said he is now symptom-free, per ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell, and ready for a full offseason. That represents good news for a Saints team searching for a new head coach. One year remains on Olave’s rookie contract, though the Saints can extend it through 2025 by exercising the Ohio State alum’s fifth-year option by May.
- Cam Jordan wants to play a 15th NFL season, but something might have to give in order for that to happen. The Saints used Jordan as an inside defender on 22.7% of his snaps last season, Terrell notes, and Jordan wants to come back exclusively as a D-end. The decorated sack artist’s production has declined in recent years. After totaling at least 7.5 sacks every season from 2012-22, Jordan registered four in 2024 — after a two-sack 2023. Jordan is due a $12.5MM base salary in his contract year, but as one of the many Saints prior restructures, this contract contains four void years. It would cost New Orleans $23.9MM in dead money to dump Jordan ahead of his age-36 season.
Mike McCarthy Withdraws From Saints’ HC Search; Kellen Moore In Place As Lead Candidate
JANUARY 29: Moore is indeed viewed as a lead candidate for this job, ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds. With McCarthy, Brady and Kingsbury out of the running, the Saints are running short on names to fill the NFL’s last remaining HC vacancy. The team cannot officially hire Moore until after Super Bowl LIX, but unofficial agreements — like the 49ers’ 2017 deal with Kyle Shanahan and the Colts’ eventually broken pledge with Josh McDaniels in 2018 — are often reached with Super Bowl-bound coordinators before those games.
The 2023 offseason also showed teams have been willing to wait on Eagles assistants until after a Super Bowl. The Cardinals and Colts respectively waited out that Eagles-Chiefs matchup, respectively hiring Jonathan Gannon and Shane Steichen. Moore met with the Saints in-person Monday night. Were the Philly OC to take this job, it would be his fourth in four years. Moore has bounced from play-calling gigs in Dallas, Los Angeles and Philadelphia from 2022-24.
JANUARY 28: After appearing to lose ground in recent days, Mike McCarthy has decided to withdraw from consideration for the Saints’ head coaching job and will not coach in the NFL in 2025, according to Nick Underhill of New Orleans.Football and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
McCarthy became a free agent late in the hiring cycle after failing to reach a new contract with the Cowboys. He was considered one of the frontrunners for the gig in New Orleans, especially after Aaron Glenn agreed to join the Jets. Instead, McCarthy will look ahead to the 2026 hiring cycle where he will rely on his history of regular-season success to attract job offers.
[RELATED: Kliff Kingsbury Will Not Meet With Saints]
Surprisingly, McCarthy never spoke with the Saints about the job despite their reported interest. The two sides intended to meet this week, but those plans were scuttled by McCarthy’s withdrawal, per Underhill. His hesitation could be a result of New Orleans’ pursuit of Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.
With Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady also backing out of consideration last week, Moore appears to be the clear frontrunner to be the next head coach in New Orleans. He interviewed with the team in person on Monday, and his Eagles will take over the Saints’ facility for their Super Bowl preparation next week.
Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver are also considered finalists for the job after going through second interviews last week. Here is a full list of the Saints’ candidates:
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Hope to schedule second interview; remaining with Bills
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): To conduct second interview; hired by Jets
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Conducted second interview 1/25
- Kliff Kingsbury, offensive coordinator (Commanders): To stay with Commanders
- Mike McCarthy, head coach (Cowboys): Withdrew from consideration
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Conducted second interview 1/27
- Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Mentioned as candidate
- Darren Rizzi, interim head coach (Saints): Interviewed 1/17
- Mike Vrabel, former head coach (Titans): Interview being arranged; hired by Patriots
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Conducted second interview 1/24
AFC Coaching Rumors: Rizzi, Broncos, Browns, Musgrave, Dolphins, Colts, Bengals
Mickey Loomis has been linked to wanting to tie his to-be-determined next HC to some of Dennis Allen‘s contracted assistants, but Mike McCarthy may not see eye-to-eye with that approach. This has introduced one of the potential hurdles in McCarthy’s path back to New Orleans. McCarthy’s view could affect the Broncos‘ staff as well, as 9News’ Mike Klis notes that he or Kellen Moore landing the Saints’ HC job could well lead Darren Rizzi to rejoin Sean Payton in Denver. Before the coaching carousel started to spin, the Saints moving Rizzi from interim HC to another staff position — presumably back to the special teams coordinator role — was likely. But the Broncos are among the teams interested in poaching him if the Saints let the ex-Payton hire out of his deal. Rizzi and Payton coached together for three seasons.
The Broncos have seen two of their staffers — pass-game coordinator John Morton and tight ends coach Declan Doyle — become OCs elsewhere (Lions, Bears). But they are retaining Vance Joseph for a third season; DBs coach Jim Leonhard is also staying, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Leonhard is believed to have drawn DC interest from three teams, and while it is interesting that no interviews are taking place (as Denver cannot block them), the former Wisconsin DC and Broncos safety will stick around.
Here is the latest from the AFC coaching ranks:
- The Browns kept their OC post internal, elevating Tommy Rees, and they will do the same with their QBs coaching role. The team interviewed Giants assistant QBs coach Christian Jones for the job, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets, but they are instead shifting veteran Bill Musgrave to that position (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). Musgrave, 57, is a six-time NFL OC — with the Eagles, Panthers, Jaguars, Vikings, Raiders and Broncos — and served as a senior offensive assistant on the past two Browns staffs. The Browns are backstopping their 32-year-old OC with considerable experience.
- Former Cardinals and Giants DC James Bettcher has landed another gig under Lou Anarumo. The new Colts DC is adding Bettcher as linebackers coach, Pelissero tweets. Bettcher, 46, served as the Bengals’ LBs coach from 2022-24. He had previously headed up the Arizona and New York defenses in the 2010s but has since settled back on the positional level. This will also be a second tour of duty for Bettcher in Indianapolis; he coached under Chuck Pagano in 2012, before following Bruce Arians — Indy’s acting HC during Pagano’s cancer battle that year — to Arizona.
- The Bengals will replace Bettcher with Mike Hodges, who will come over from the Saints. New Orleans had employed Hodges, 38, as its linebackers coach from 2020-24. Overall, Hodges spent eight seasons under Dennis Allen in the Big Easy, making it a bit interesting he is headed to Cincinnati than following Allen to Chicago.
- Two new staffers are joining the Dolphins. Craig Aukerman is set to lead Miami’s ST units, Pelissero adds. An NFL staffer for 14 years, Aukerman spent 10 seasons with the Titans, staying on staff through four HCs. A 2023 game that featured two Tennessee punts blocked and standout punter Ryan Stonehouse suffering a serious knee injury led to Aukerman’s firing, and he did not coach in 2024. The Dolphins are also hiring Robert Prince as their wide receivers coach, per Pelissero. Prince has not previously coached under Mike McDaniel, but he has been an NFL assistant since 2004. After seven seasons with the Lions and a 2021 stop in Houston, he coached the Cowboys’ WRs for the past three years.
- Circling back to Denver, the team is moving on from one of Joseph’s staffers. Greg Manusky will not be back as the Broncos‘ linebackers coach, Pelissero offers. The Broncos’ linebackers were perhaps the weak point on a top-five defense this season, though the unit lost top tackler Alex Singleton in Week 2. A four-time NFL DC, Manusky spent the past two seasons as Denver’s ILBs coach.
Kliff Kingsbury To Pass On Saints Interview, Will Stay With Commanders
The Saints requested a Kliff Kingsbury interview shortly after the regular season ended, but no meeting was ever scheduled. The Commanders’ OC received interest from other clubs as well but indicated he would not meet regarding any HC jobs until after his team’s season wrapped.
Washington’s remarkable turnaround ended in the NFC championship game, and the New Orleans job remains open. But Kingsbury is not interested. He will stay on as the Commanders’ OC for a second season, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. This decision will provide important continuity for Jayden Daniels as he attempts to follow up on one of the best rookie seasons in quarterback history.
Kingsbury’s stock has surged as a result of Daniels’ rookie-year form. The Washington play-caller has gone from being fired from his Arizona HC post, despite having signed an extension months earlier, to an assistant who will probably be a coveted option come 2026. While Kingsbury still wants a second HC chance, he will commit to waiting another year. This is quite the turnaround for a scrutinized coach whose Cardinals operation unraveled in a 4-13 2022 season.
The Bears and Saints sent Kingsbury interview requests January 9, and the Cowboys subsequently showed interest in the Texas native. While most who receive interview requests take those meetings, Kingsbury is being patient this time around. Already having an interesting past regarding NFL interest, Kingsbury has since seen Daniels adjust his thinking further. The potential superstar’s trajectory was rumored to be dissuading Kingsbury from leaving Washington so soon.
Kingsbury, 45, has already gone from being fired by a Big 12 program (Texas Tech) only to be hired as an NFL HC; the Cardinals formed that unusual path for Patrick Mahomes‘ college coach in 2019. Kingsbury did snap a five-year Cardinals playoff drought by guiding the 2021 team to the postseason, but his tenure turned after a woeful 2022.
The Cardinals fired Kingsbury and did not bring back longtime GM Steve Keim, rebooting and ultimately sending their HC back to the college ranks. Kingsbury catching on as USC’s position coach, where he mentored Caleb Williams, helped his stock. Several teams reached out with OC interview requests — to the point at least two teams offered jobs. Kingsbury backed out of a Raiders agreement and joined the Commanders, who are believed to have offered him a three-year deal.
Daniels is all but certain to win Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, Brock Bowers‘ record-setting season notwithstanding, and losing his play-caller after Year 1 would have introduced a hurdle. Kingsbury now will reset and prepare to further develop Washington’s dual-threat sensation, as other teams monitor him ahead of the 2026 HC carousel.
Kellen Moore, Mike McCarthy, Mike Kafka and Anthony Weaver represent those still believed to be vying for the Saints’ HC post. Kingsbury having a rising Commanders team as a fallback option proves important here, as the Saints are again standing alone in terms of cap space (or lack thereof, in New Orleans’ case) and they have an onerous Derek Carr contract to navigate. The Saints’ next HC will likely be tasked with finding a long-term QB solution either this year or next, and limited funds — a Saints staple — will impact this effort.
Kingsbury’s current team having found said answer will allow the experienced play-caller to keep rebuilding his stock. Although Bobby Slowik‘s C.J. Stroud partnership represents a cautionary tale here, Kingsbury will bet on Daniels keeping him in the HC mix beyond this year.