Raiders Carroll hire keeps Saints in play with top candidates
01/24/2025
By Ross Jackson
Things just keep shaking out better and better for the New Orleans Saints, as the search for the team’s next head coach continues.
Call it patience or call it luck, the chips are falling into place rather favorably for New Orleans.
Not long after the tumultuous Jacksonville Jaguars search landed the team its next head coach in Liam Coen, the Las Vegas Raiders reeled in their big fish.
Per multiple reports, the Raiders have closed in on a deal with former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll to help rebuild their program. Carroll, like Coen, was not on the Saints’ list of head coach candidates that they have interviewed.
The hires in Vegas and Jacksonville now leave only the Saints and Dallas Cowboys with open positions.
The Saints in-person interview list so far includes:
- Interim head coach Darren Rizzi (Interviewed last week)
- Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver (Friday)
- New York Giants offensive coordinator/assistant head coach Mike Kafka (Saturday)
- Ex-Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy (Next week)
- Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady (Eligible next week)
- Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore (Eligible next week)
The team also expressed interest in Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, but he has withdrawn from head coach interviews until the Commanders are no longer in the playoffs. A valiant decision that shouldn’t be rewarded with a negative outlook. There could still be interest there.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys look to be closing in on internal candidate in offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer for their next head coach, after having parted ways with McCarthy.
Look for the Cowboys to cross the finish line on hiring Brian Schottenheimer no later than Friday, possibly today
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) January 23, 2025
The only overlap between the two searches in Dallas and New Orleans, so far, has been Moore. The offensive play caller was formerly a coordinator with the Cowboys, so interest there could be solidified if Schottenheimer doesn’t turn out to be the hire.
Aside from Schottenheimer and Moore, the Cowboys have held visits with Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier and former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh. They also have held conversations with Colorado University head coach and NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. None of which have been on the Saints’ radar.
That means the Saints could have a clear path to landing their top choice, barring further interest between the Cowboys and Moore. Expect the Saints totake their time in order to interview coordinators currently coaching in the championship games this weekend. After completing the interviews—or possibly sooner if a candidate stands out—New Orleans could announce its next head coach as early as next week.
If the Saints choose to hire a candidate that makes it to the Super Bowl, the contract cannot be officially signed until after the big game is complete. This same situation happened with New Orleans last year in their pursuit of hiring offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Whether they got lucky or things simply worked out as the organization had hoped, the Saints are now in great position to get one of their top remaining candidates.
