Darren Rizzi has not been eliminated from the Saints’ full-time HC post, though considering how the only interim coach-turned-full-timer since 2017 fared, it would be rather surprising if New Orleans gave this scenario serious consideration.
Antonio Pierce went 4-13 as Raiders HC and is not certain to return. The 2023 interim Las Vegas leader, however, received interview requests from the Falcons and Titans last year. Pierce’s 5-4 run as interim Raiders HC impressed elsewhere as well. A year later, Rizzi is receiving outside interest after his half-season interim run.
[RELATED: Rizzi Aiming To Become Saints’ Full-Time Head Coach]
The Jets have made Rizzi part of their search process, requesting a meeting, per NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill. This is an unusual place to be, as Rizzi is both expected to be included in the Saints’ interview process and would be on track to remain part of New Orleans’ next coaching staff even if he does not land the full-time HC gig. A Jets meeting could, however, throw a wrench in those plans.
Rizzi, 54, has been a special teams coordinator since 2010 and has coached in the NFL since 2009. The Jets observed Rizzi’s ST work from 2009-18, when he was with the Dolphins; the final nine years of that stint came as Miami’s ST coordinator. While working under Tony Sparano, Joe Philbin and Adam Gase, Rizzi was not brought back under Brian Flores. The Saints hired him in 2019 and bumped him up to assistant HC in 2022.
The Saints went 3-5 under Rizzi. That represents an achievement in itself given the injuries to Derek Carr, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed on offense. New Orleans won its first two games with Rizzi at the helm and then pushed Tampa Bay in the teams’ Week 18 matchup, making the eventual NFC South champions sweat before ultimately falling. While Rizzi presented a compelling case, the Saints’ struggles with Dennis Allen — another Sean Payton assistant promoted — would point to an outside hire of some sort taking place.
Courtesy of PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, here is how the Jets’ HC search looks so far:
- Bill Belichick, head coach (North Carolina): Showed interest; meeting never scheduled
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interview requested
- Brian Flores, defensive coordinator (Vikings): Interview requested
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interview requested
- Brian Griese, quarterbacks coach (49ers): Interview requested
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interview requested
- Josh McCown, quarterbacks coach (Vikings): Interview requested
- Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): To interview 1/8
- Ron Rivera, former head coach (Commanders): Interviewed
- Darren Rizzi, interim head coach (Saints): Interview requested
- Rex Ryan, former head coach (Bills): Interviewed 1/7
- Bobby Slowik, offensive coordinator (Texans): Interview requested
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): Interview requested
- Jeff Ulbrich, interim head coach (Jets): To interview
- Mike Vrabel, former head coach (Titans): Interviewed 1/3
Dolphins fan here.. the most frustrating part of the teams Rizzi were part of… were the special teams. Every year seemed worse than the last… when he wasn’t brought back they suddenly improved drastically.. that’s not an accident. Just a warning.
I hope that as part of the interview process, Darren Rizzi request to use the coach’s bathroom. Allow him to get a complete understanding on the ground level of the difference between the Saints and the Jets.