By Ross Jackson
Now that wild-card weekend is finally underway in the NFL playoffs, coaching searches are about to see a little more momentum.
For the New Orleans Saints, that momentum may pick up with a familiar face. Per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady is planning to speak with the Saints next week.
Joe Brady hasn’t scheduled out all of his plans yet. Focus is on winning the Super Bowl. But his plan is to talk to the Saints next week once allowed by the rules, I’m told.
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) January 11, 2025
That timeline works with the NFL’s rules around the coach interview process. Because Brady and the Bills are competing in the wild-card round of the playoffs, he has not yet been allowed to interview—even virtually—with another team. That will change after this weekend.
Per the NFL’s guidelines around coaching searches, those competing in the wild-card round are not eligible to be interviewed until three days following their game. Brady, whose Bills will host the Denver Broncos Saturday night, won’t be able to interview with another team until Tuesday.
Such interviews must be concluded by the end of the divisional round games on Jan. 19, making next week a potentially crucial and busy period for New Orleans. Two other candidates—Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury—become eligible to meet with teams on Wednesday. The Saints are also expected to interview interim head coach Darren Rizzi during this time.
Expect things to pick up after this weekend, even before in-person interviews can begin. Those interviews can start as early as Jan. 20, the day after the divisional round concludes, for candidates coaching teams whose seasons have ended.
