NFC Coaching Notes: Haslett, Saints, Cowboys, Choice, Lions, Giants, Falcons

No Saints–Mike McCarthy reunion is on tap, but the team will go forward with an interesting hire that will bring about a reunion of sorts from that era. The team is hiring Chase Haslett as tight ends coach, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. Chase Haslett is the son of ex-Saints HC Jim Haslett, who coached the team from 2000-05. Jim Haslett was steering the ship when the Saints won their first playoff game, a wild-card thriller over the Rams in 2000. The Saints gave Jim Haslett his only NFL HC job; they will give his son his first position-coaching role. Mickey Loomis became Saints GM during Jim’s HC tenure and led the search to name Moore as HC this year.

Chase will come over after three Cowboys seasons, the last of which overlapping with new Saints HC Kellen Moore. Chase assisted with Cowboys TEs, helping Dalton Schultz to a productive 2022 before aiding in Jake Ferguson‘s development.

Here is the latest from the NFC coaching ranks:

• Elsewhere on the Saints’ staff, they are also bringing back a familiar face to oversee the offensive line. Brendan Nugent is coming back to head up this group, per NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill and Mike Triplett. Nugent coached the Saints’ O-line from 2015-21; he will replace John Benton, who is following Klint Kubiak to Seattle. Nugent comes over from Seattle, having been the Seahawks’ assistant OL coach last season. He was the Saints’ assistant OL coach from 2015-20 and their O-line boss in 2021. This hire will bring about familiarity for Erik McCoy and Cesar Ruiz, who were in place when Nugent was last with New Orleans. More familiarity will be in place at wide receiver, with Underhill adding Keith Williams is staying on as WRs coach. The Saints had hired Williams in 2024.
• Tashard Choice recently interviewed for the Cowboys’ RBs coach position, but the ex-Dallas running back is heading to Detroit. The Lions are hiring Choice as their backfield coach, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz tweets. Texas is believed to have offered a significant raise to keep Choice in Austin, but he will join Dan Campbell‘s staff. Choice coached Jahmyr Gibbs at Georgia Tech. The Lions are moving previous RBs coach Scottie Montgomery to wide receivers coach, per the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. A former NFL wideout, Montgomery has not coached the position in the NFL since overseeing the likes of Antonio Brown, Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders in Pittsburgh from 2010-12. The former college HC, who will replace Antwaan Randle El (now the Bears’ WRs coach), is also now an assistant head coach in Detroit.
• The Lions are also hiring Tyler Roehl to coach tight ends, Rogers adds. Previously reported (via Zenitz) to be coming to Detroit as an offensive assistant, Roehl is making the jump after one season as Iowa State’s RBs coach. He is better known for work at Division I-FCS power North Dakota State. Roehl was with the Bison from 2014-23, finishing his tenure with five seasons as OC. This included mentorship during Trey Lance‘s 28-TD, zero-INT 2019 season, one of the program’s many national titles.
• T.J. Yates is heading into his second season as Falcons QBs coach; the former NFL signal-caller will also serve as Atlanta’s pass-game coordinator in 2025, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes. After the Falcons attempted to make the Kirk Cousins–Michael Penix Jr. setup work, Yates will be tasked with developing Penix (after a Cousins release) in 2025.
• Brian Daboll‘s son will not be part of his father’s 2025 Giants staff. Christian Daboll is leaving to pursue another career path, the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard tweets. Brian hired his son out of college; Christian was part of the past two New York staffs, working as an offensive assistant.
• UTEP defensive coordinator JJ Clark is joining the Cowboys in a quality control role, Zenitz tweets. Clark coached the Miners’ defense for one season, coming over from Austin Peay in 2024. UTEP ranked 113th in Division I-FBS defensively last season.