The New Orleans Saints have reportedly decided on their new head coach. The Saints are expected to hire Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to be their lead man following Super Bowl LIX, according to ESPN.
Moore has long been considered the front-runner for the New Orleans opening. CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones reports that Moore is the “overwhelming favorite” for the role after a strong in-person interview, while The Athletic reported that other candidates for the Saints job were called last Friday morning and informed the franchise was moving in a different direction.
Eagles owner Jefrey Lurie spoke to multiple reporters after the Super Bowl — a 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs — and admitted he’s anticipating losing Moore.
“I do,” Lurie said. “Unfortunately, we’re gonna have to wish him the very best with New Orleans. Very smart coach who was able to adapt our offense week to week [as] needed to win games.”
League rules dictate that the Saints cannot contact Moore again until after the Super Bowl is over, and his hiring cannot become official until the game concludes, either. The two sides plan to meet again following the Super Bowl, according to NFL Media.
Moore has been a candidate for several head-coaching gigs in the past. He’s spent the last six years as an offensive coordinator, four leading a top-flight Dallas Cowboys offense along with one each for the Los Angeles Chargers and Eagles.
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A former NFL backup signal caller, Moore became the first quarterback in college football history to win 50 games as a starter. Due to his size and arm strength, he ultimately went undrafted and spent his career backing up players like Matthew Stafford, Tony Romo and Dak Prescott. Moore immediately joined the Dallas coaching staff after retiring, spending one year as QB coach before being elevated to the offensive coordinator role.
Since becoming a coordinator, his offenses have largely been known for their fast pace and pass-first mentality, but the unit in Philadelphia this season has been much different. Moore has leaned into the strength of the team and operated a run-heavy offense that plays a bit slower as the Eagles look to constrict the game and suck the life out of their opponents.
That willingness to tailor the offense to the skill set of his players is a good sign, though a head coach role is obviously a far different one than is offensive coordinator. Still, it appears the Saints believe he’s ready for the step up.
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