By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS — Already saddled with the responsibility of finding their next head coach, defensive coordinator and likely a new special teams coordinator too, the New Orleans Saints may end up having to retool the top of their entire coaching staff this offseason.
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak will have his second in-person interview with the Seattle Seahawks for their open offensive coordinator position.
The #Seahawks are doing a second, in-person interview with #Saints OC Klint Kubiak on Friday, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo.
Kubiak, who also interviewed for the #Browns job, is one of the top OC candidates available. pic.twitter.com/GmuoecG2st
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 16, 2025
Kubiak, hired by the Saints ahead of the 2024 NFL season, started things off in New Orleans with a pair of strong 40-point performances. During the first two weeks of the season, Kubiak’s offense scored points on 15 consecutive possessions with the first team on the field. His name picked up some of the earlier future head coach conversation.
Now, he could be a one-and-done in New Orleans. But if that ends up being the case, it won’t be because he disappointed, underwhelmed or did a poor job. Quite the contrary, with what he had available to him throughout 2024, he did a fine job. However, the Saints’ situation is simply unique.
There is a chance that the team, who has an opening at head coach, could be hiring an offensive-minded candidate that would want to pioneer and direct his own offensive approach. Candidates like Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury are set to have virtual interviews with the team over the next few days. If any of them, or Ex-Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, are hired, that could lead to Kubiak’s future in New Orleans coming to an end.
Such a possibility is one that the Saints themselves have acknowledged by allowing Kubiak to interview with not only the Seahawks, but the Cleveland Browns as well. Cleveland went a different direction promoting Tommy Rees who stepped into the offensive coordinator position partway through 2024. Seattle, on the other hand, is showing real interest in Kubiak.
The Saints could also end up hiring a defensive-minded head coach like Detroit Lions defensive coordinator and former Saints staffer Aaron Glenn. If they did so, it seems likely that Glenn would want to bring with him someone from Detroit’s very successful offensive system. Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand would be high on that list.
New Orleans is already in search of its next head coach with virtual interviews throttling back up this week and weekend. But in dismissing former coach Dennis Allen, the team will also be looking for a new defensive coordinator. If they don’t hire last season’s interim head coach Darren Rizzi, he could be headed to another opportunity, opening the special teams coordinator role and it seems New Orleans is comfortable letting Kubiak walk, opening the offensive coordinator position as well.
That means the entire top of the team’s coaching staff is set to undergo change this offseason. Unusual for New Orleans which has seen the same coaching staff for more than a decade be followed up with remnants of that same staff over the years. New Orleans has never been fully absent of former coach Sean Payton’s hires since they set in. 2025 could be when that finally changes.
