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Kellen Moore

Liam Coen Not Expected To Return To Jaguars HC Mix; Joe Brady, Kellen Moore Still On Radar

January 23rd, 2025 at 12:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

12:16pm: It now appears the Jags will stay with their HC search and conclude it before deciding on a GM. Going coach before GM is not entirely uncommon, but CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones points to the team not beginning a true GM hunt until a coach is in place. It would not surprise to see interview requests go out to execs, but if the team intends on separating the searches entirely, it will be a bit before that step happens.

10:37am: Liam Coen‘s decision to pass on a second Jaguars HC interview, and thus remove himself from consideration for the open job, looks to have been significant. Hours later, Shad Khan reversed course on his plans with Trent Baalke. The veteran GM is out, leaving more questions in Jacksonville.

Baalke’s presence had been seen as a deterrent in the Jaguars’ coaching search. Would removing the GM mean Coen could move back into play? It does not appear that will happen, with the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud reporting the Buccaneers‘ OC is expected to sign his extension today.

Prior to Khan’s decision to boot Baalke, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler noted Bills OC Joe Brady would be a name to watch in light of the Bucs play-caller bowing out. The young assistant impressed in his virtual meeting. Indeed, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds the Jags’ list of second interviews is expected to include Brady and Eagles OC Kellen Moore. As of now, the Jags’ finalists include Robert Saleh and Patrick Graham. Each will conduct their second interviews this week. The Athletic’s Michael Silver initially indicated the search will expand beyond these two.

The prospect of a second Jags run at Coen would make sense, but the retooling organization has some issues to sort out. And Coen may well be eyeing a spot on the 2026 HC carousel rather than seeing where the Jaguars are at GM once they launch a search. A new GM may also be the team’s second priority now, as Bovada’s Josina Anderson indicating the franchise is considering a few scenarios in terms of how to proceed with its HC and GM spots. If nothing else, the Jags may be OK hiring a head coach before a general manager.

Given this year’s remaining candidates, it would be a bit surprising if the Jags gave their next head coach power over a GM. Baalke held roster control following Urban Meyer‘s firing, but it is fairly clear the recently fired GM’s presence was, much like in 2022, not helping attract candidates. Although Khan gave Meyer power in 2021, he had pursued the formerly successful college HC for a while. That experience going so poorly may well influence Khan to keep a traditional power structure post-Baalke, but the Jags are in need of a solution after Coen and Ben Johnson turned them down.

As far as replacing Baalke goes, no known candidates have emerged. The Jets are the other team looking, after the Titans (Mike Borgonzi) and Raiders (John Spytek) have made their choices. Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark appeared the favorite for the Jets’ job, but Trey Brown and Darren Mougey are still in the mix; each will conduct second interviews today. Newmark may be in play for the Jags, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini writes, but it is not known if a candidate that had been linked to following Johnson to Las Vegas and then join Aaron Glenn in New York would be coveted without the presence of an ex-Lions staffer.

After Baalke’s 2024 extension spree preceded a 4-13 season and a complete overhaul, the Jags are in the unusual spot of having paid a potential franchise QB (Trevor Lawrence) while carrying HC and GM vacancies. The Chargers managed to find good solutions here when in this spot last year, but they had vacancies from the start and used Justin Herbert‘s presence to attract Jim Harbaugh. After Coen and Johnson did not see enough positives about Jacksonville’s situation, will Lawrence help sway Brady or Moore?

Cowboys Giving Serious Consideration To Brian Schottenheimer As HC?

January 23rd, 2025 at 11:12am CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys cannot interview Kellen Moore again until at least next week, and if the Eagles reach Super Bowl LIX, no reunion can commence until February 10. That delay could contribute to one of the more shocking hires in recent NFL history.

As of now, Moore and Brian Schottenheimer may be the finalists for this job, WFAA’s Ed Werder notes. But Schottenheimer, who has not sat down for another known HC interview in the 2020s, appears a serious candidate after his two-day Cowboys meeting.

Working as Mike McCarthy‘s OC for the past two seasons, Schottenheimer met with the Cowboys for a lengthy interview that ended up lasting two days. Whether the second part of the meeting constituted a second interview or not, Jerry Jones appears to have another unorthodox hire on his radar. Going further here, All DLLS’ Clarence Hill indicates a Schottenheimer deal to be Dallas’ next HC should be done today or Friday.

The second day of Schottenheimer’s summit with Cowboys brass involved a five-plus-hour meeting, and although that pushed the sides’ total interview time past eight hours, NFL.com’s Jane Slater indicates nothing is imminent regarding a hire.

Jones has regularly zagged with his coaches. He has also promoted from within previously. Prior to giving interim HC Jason Garrett the full-time job in 2011, the longtime owner elevated Dave Campo to replace Chan Gailey in 2000. Schottenheimer, 51, has been in the NFL since 2001 — when he debuted as father Marty‘s QBs coach with Washington — and has been a three-time OC. The Jets employed Brian Schottenheimer in that role from 2006-11, and the Rams hired him in 2012. After that three-year stint, Schottenheimer did not receive another OC opportunity until the Seahawks hired him in 2018. Seattle fired the second-generation NFL coach in 2021, leading him to a pass-game coordinator post for the Urban Meyer-run Jaguars and then an analyst gig in Dallas.

With the Commanders securing a spot in the NFC championship game, the Cowboys now have the conference’s longest drought of reaching that round. The Bears, who last qualified for the NFC title game in 2010, are the closest team to the Cowboys, who famously have not played for a conference championship since their Super Bowl XXX-winning season in 1995. Jones, whose separation from Jimmy Johnson after the 1993 season provided a fairly clear line of demarcation for the franchise (its Barry Switzer-coached Super Bowl XXX title notwithstanding), has faced steady criticism over his decisions. This one coming to pass would undoubtedly crank up the heat on the scrutinized owner.

Jones’ head coaching processes have been unusual. Calls for Garrett’s ouster rang out for years, but the criticized HC lasted through the 2019 season. It took several days after that season wrapped for clarity to emerge, and Jones’ replacement search consisted of just two names — McCarthy and Marvin Lewis. After making McCarthy the rare lame-duck HC despite three straight 12-win seasons, Jones did not resolve the situation until a week after Black Monday, going so far as to block the Bears from meeting with McCarthy in that span. McCarthy remains in the mix for the Saints’ HC post.

The Cowboys join the Jaguars, Saints and Raiders in still pursuing a head coach. Schottenheimer has not been connected to any of those jobs, and while the Cowboys led the NFL in scoring during Dak Prescott‘s most recent full season (2023), McCarthy was the team’s primary play-caller following the Moore separation. Moore could regain some steam here, but he is still in the mix for the Jags and Saints’ positions.

Moore having played in Dallas and then begun his coaching career there — during a tenure highlighted by a four-year OC stint — may end up mattering, but the coach who succeeded him appears a genuine threat to score a massive upset and land this position.

Saints Planning On Second Interviews With Joe Brady, Kellen Moore

January 22nd, 2025 at 9:18pm CST by Ely Allen

As other head coaching gigs around the league are starting to fill up, the Saints are continuing on with the process to fill their vacancy. The team recently reported their intent to schedule second interviews with Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, as well as a first meeting with former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network added today that New Orleans will also be looking to meet for a second time with Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady and Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Both coaches interviewed with the team last week before their respective divisional matchups in the playoffs. With both coaches advancing, the Saints’ opportunity to interview each coach again may have to wait until after this weekend’s conference championship games, when one or both coaches either will be eliminated from the playoffs or will have a two-week break before the Super Bowl.

Brady has been on staff in New Orleans before, though he did not hold a high-ranking post during his past stint with the team. He served as a Saints offensive assistant from 2017-18. Brady has since been on the rise, a climb that began when he served as pass-game coordinator for LSU’s unbeaten 2019 national champion team. After being fired from his post as Panthers OC, Brady has rebounded in Buffalo. Josh Allen has submitted his best all-around season, piloting the Bills to a third straight AFC No. 2 seed under Brady. The Bills ranked second in scoring this season and have beaten both the Lions and Chiefs.

Moore just completed his first regular season as Philly’s offensive coordinator. While the Eagles failing to improve on their 2023 offensive rankings, they still matched an impressive offensive output (seventh in points, eighth in yards). Under Moore, Saquon Barkley had an historic season. Moore has previously been lauded for his offensive approach in stops with the Chargers and Cowboys, as well.

While Moore’s first interview with the Saints was his first of the current interview cycle, he isn’t a stranger to the head coaching interview circuit. He’s earned interviews in each of the past three offseasons, including meetings with the Chargers (2024), Panthers (2023), Broncos, Dolphins, Jaguars, and Vikings (2022). He’s since interviewed with the Jaguars and Cowboys this offseason, and he is considered a frontrunner for the job in Dallas.

Here’s how the head coaching search is shaping up in the Big Easy:

Kellen Moore Frontrunner For Cowboys’ HC Position?

January 20th, 2025 at 11:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

Last week, Kellen Moore was named as one of two top candidates for the Cowboys’ head coaching position. He cannot be hired at this point with the Eagles amongst the four teams still in the postseason, but at this point he appears to be in pole position.

Moore is currently the frontrunner for the Dallas gig, Jon Machota of The Athletic writes (subscription required). A hire cannot be made until the Eagles are eliminated, and the Cowboys cannot conduct an interview this week as Philadelphia prepares for the NFC title game. Once Moore become eligible for a return to Dallas, though, it will be interesting to see if it takes place.

The 35-year-old became the Cowboys’ quarterbacks coach in 2018, shortly after his playing career ended. Moore took over as offensive coordinator one year later, beginning a stretch in which Dallas generally enjoyed strong production on that side of the ball. In three of Moore’s four seasons leading the offense, the Cowboys ranked sixth or better in scoring. Then-head coach Mike McCarthy elected to take over as play-caller for 2023, though, and Moore found himself on the move as a result.

Last year, the Chargers hired Moore as their OC. The team finished in the bottom half of the league in total and scoring offense, and with Jim Harbaugh being brought in as head coach it came as no surprise sweeping changes were made to Los Angeles’ staff. Once again, Moore did not need to wait long to find a new opportunity, as he took on offensive coordinator duties with the Eagles for 2024.

Philadelphia ranked top-eight in yards and points during the regular season, thanks in no small part to a career-best campaign from running back Saquon Barkley. While the Eagles have faced consistency problems in the passing game, their success has put Moore squarely on the head coaching radar for the 2025 hiring cycle. In addition to being the first candidate to speak with the Cowboys about their vacancy, he has interviewed with the Jaguars and Saints.

A report from Friday named Moore along with former Cowboys tight end Jason Witten as strong contenders for the Dallas gig. The latter is held in high regard by owner Jerry Jones, but his distinct lack of coaching experience would make it a surprise if he outright replaced McCarthy on the sidelines. A role of some kind could still be in play for Witten, who has previously been mentioned as a future head coaching candidate in Dallas.

As Machota notes, a stronger sentiment exists amongst fans for Colorado head coach Deion Sanders or Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to be tapped for the Cowboys job. Neither of them have interviewed for the position yet, though, and especially since that is the case Moore is the candidate to watch at this point. While Dallas is expected to expand its search in the coming days, all other names appear to have ground to make up.

Via PFR’s HC search tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand for Dallas:

Kellen Moore, Jason Witten Viewed As Strong Contenders For Cowboys’ HC Position?

January 17th, 2025 at 11:34pm CST by Adam La Rose

Much of the discourse around the Cowboys’ head coaching vacancy has been dominated by Deion Sanders. While it remains to be seen how willing the Colorado coach and owner Jerry Jones will be to move forward with such a hire, other names are worth watching.

Former Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is on Dallas’ interview list. He will speak with the team today before ultimately turning his attention back to the Eagles’ upcoming divisional round game. Moore vastly outranks longtime Cowboys tight end Jason Witten in terms of time spent on the sidelines, but his name has also been floated with respect to the HC gig or at least another spot on Dallas’ staff.

Taking things one step further, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reports both Moore and Witten are considered to have a strong chance at being hired by Jones. The former quickly transitioned from his quarterback career to the sidelines, serving as the Cowboys’ QBs coach in 2018. He was promoted to offensive coordinator one year later and held that title for four seasons. With then-head coach Mike McCarthy taking on play-calling duties in 2023, Moore moved on to the Chargers for one year before winding up in his current Eagles posting.

Philadelphia’s passing efficiency has been a talking point for much of the season, but the team’s strong rushing attack played a big role in the current run to Round 2 of the playoffs. Moore, 35, also has an interview lined up with the Jaguars today and another with the Saints tomorrow for their respective HC positions.

Witten’s “realistic shot” (as Pauline terms it) to succeed McCarthy is notable given his inexperience as a coach. The 11-time Pro Bowler retired in 2018 but wound up returning to play two more seasons before hanging up his cleats for good. Since then, his four years leading Liberty Christian School in Texas (which includes a pair of state championships) represent the extent of his coaching tenure. As NFL Network’s Jane Slater notes, Witten has been in contact with Jones recently and was set to be part of Dallas’ 2025 coaching staff in the event McCarthy had remained in place (video link).

Such a setup could very well have set Witten up as a potential successor to McCarthy, but now that the team will be going in another direction it remains to be seen what will happen on that front. Slater notes Jones’ affinity for Witten, 42, could still land him a position of some kind on the team’s coaching staff. Jumping from his current situation all the way to an NFL HC position would remain surprising regardless of how Jones views his other options.

Pauline’s sources note that Sanders is not viewed as being a true contender to land the position at this point. The Hall of Famer corner is not considered ready to handle a head coaching gig in any market, they add. If Jones agrees with that assessment, Moore and Witten’s respective candidacies will increasingly become worth monitoring.

Courtesy of PFR’s head coaching search tracker, here is an updated breakdown of where things stand with the Cowboys:

Cowboys To Interview Kellen Moore For HC

January 16th, 2025 at 10:30am CST by Sam Robinson

10:30am: Moore is expected to interview virtually for the position Friday, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer tweets. The Cowboys will join the Jaguars and Saints in speaking with the experienced play-caller before the Eagles’ divisional-round Rams matchup.

9:56am: Now coaching a 14-3 Eagles team preparing for the divisional round, Kellen Moore has improved his stock from where it was after his one-and-done as Chargers OC. As could be expected, the veteran OC’s other former NFL employer has circled back to him.

In need of a head coach for the first time in five years, the Cowboys are interested in a potential Moore reunion. They have sent the Philadelphia play-caller an interview request, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo report. Moore previously spent four seasons as the Cowboys’ OC.

[RELATED: 2025 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Moore, 36, has an extensive history in Dallas. The former Tony Romo and Dak Prescott backup transitioned to quarterbacks coach immediately upon retiring, landing that job while still in his 20s. The Cowboys thought so highly of Moore they bumped him to OC during Jason Garrett‘s final year and kept him aboard despite changing coaching staffs. Mike McCarthy turned to Moore as his play-caller for the first three years of his HC tenure, before the sides separated in 2023. Moore is now in play to replace his former boss.

Joining Leslie Frazier and Robert Saleh as confirmed candidates (along with Deion Sanders, who is lurking here), Moore brings six years of OC experience despite not yet being in his late 30s. He has been at the controls for Saquon Barkley‘s dominant season — one that likely would have produced the single-season rushing record had Nick Sirianni opted to play the All-Pro in Week 18 — and is one of the catalysts for the Eagles motoring to the NFC’s No. 2 seed after a 2023 collapse. The Eagles rank seventh in scoring offense.

The Saints and Jaguars have met with Moore during this year’s cycle. The Colts interviewed him in 2023. After the Cowboys’ 12-5 2021 campaign, four teams — the Broncos, Dolphins, Jags and Vikings — spoke with Moore, who came up as a name to watch for this Dallas vacancy hours after the team’s McCarthy dismissal. The Chargers also hired Moore as OC within hours of his 2023 split with McCarthy.

While Jalen Hurts has not progressed this season and Moore’s year-long Justin Herbert mentorship did not lead to substantial growth, he did plenty to elevate Prescott during his time in Dallas. Prescott broke through as a passer in 2019, throwing 30 touchdown passes and thus upping his extension price, and then compiled a 37-10 TD-INT ratio in his first season back from a fractured ankle. The 2019 Cowboys led the NFL in total offense, while the 2021 unit paced the league in scoring. It is fair to place Prescott’s 2022 regression (league-high 15 INTs) on Moore as well, but several teams have sought HC interviews with the former Boise State QB during his coaching run. This may be the most important one yet.

Moore’s Cowboys interview must be virtual, if it is to occur this week, and the Cowboys’ delayed decision on McCarthy will present a time crunch. Moore will meet with the Jags and Saints by Saturday, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. If the Cowboys do not squeeze in a meeting before the Eagles’ divisional-round game, they would need to wait until the team is eliminated (or hold off until the Super Bowl bye week in the event Philly books another berth).

2025 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

January 15th, 2025 at 11:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy splitting up, seven teams have made coaching changes so far during this year’s cycle. Here are the candidates connected to each of the now-HC-needy franchises. If more teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 1-23-25 (6:54pm CT)

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Mike McCarthy Fallout: Failed Negotiations, Cowboys Candidates, McCarthy Suitors

January 13th, 2025 at 9:45pm CST by Ben Levine

The Mike McCarthy era in Dallas finally came to an end today, as the team announced that they wouldn’t be re-signing their head coach. With McCarthy’s contract set to expire tomorrow, the two sides were reportedly negotiating the terms of a new deal. However, it sounds like true contract talks never took place.

[RELATED: Cowboys Considering Deion Sanders For Head Coaching Job]

In a statement, owner Jerry Jones clearly stated that he made the determination to move on from McCarthy before any contract talks could commence.

“Over the past week, Mike [McCarthy] and I had the opportunity to conduct a joint review of all aspects of the past season, our players and staff, and also spent considerable time discussing the road forward for the team,” Jones said (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “These discussions were thorough and received an appropriate amount of time and depth to cover. Prior to reaching the point of contract negotiations, though, it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction.”

While Jones’ statement was pretty clear, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero slightly pushes back at the notion that the two sides never discussed a new contract. Pelissero somewhat points to semantics, noting that “contract negotiations” would signal a definitive exchange of proposals (vs. the informal “talks”). Either way, the reporter believes the two sides did indeed discuss a path forward but ultimately couldn’t agree on contract length.

It didn’t take long for the Cowboys to start preparing for their impending head coaching search. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the team’s decision makers took part in “inclusive hiring training” this afternoon, only hours after news broke of the McCarthy divorce. Soon, we’ll start hearing of some definitive candidates, but the rumor mill is already churning with potential names. Deion Sanders has already been linked to the Cowboys, and there are some initial rumblings surrounding other big names.

Predictably, the biggest name on the market will be connected to the offseason’s biggest vacancy. Sources told Jonathan Jones that Bill Belichick could be towards the top of the organization’s list of candidates, and sources also told the reporter that the iconic HC would have interest in the Dallas gig if it became available. While Belichick’s UNC contract includes a $10MM buyout, sources believe that penalty wouldn’t stop owners from pursuing the future Hall of Famer. Still, many reporters (including Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com) are skeptical that Jones would be willing to pay for a buyout…a relevant note in their potential pursuits of Belichick and Sanders.

Jonathan Jones also suggests that the Cowboys could look to the college ranks for another candidate: Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. The long-time college coach has never held the HC role in the NFL, although he did have a stint as the Falcons offensive coordinator. Sarkisian would also require a buyout. Among current NFL coaches, two popular names are also expected to be on the team’s list of candidates. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says Eagles OC Kellen Moore is a name to watch. Moore, of course, finished his playing career with the Cowboys before moving to the sideline, where he worked his way up from QBs coach to offensive coordinator.

The Cowboys will presumably also have interest in Lions Ben Johnson, but the team missed their window to interview the popular HC candidate. As Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz notes, the Cowboys will now have to wait until Detroit is knocked out of the playoffs until they can talk to Johnson about their vacancy. Fortunately, Jonathan Jones notes that Johnson shut down communication with teams following the first round of interviews, as the coordinator is now solely focused on Detroit’s playoff run. So, if the Cowboys do truly have interest in Johnson, it shouldn’t take a whole lot for the team to make up ground on their competition.

As for McCarthy, the veteran head coach has reportedly already scheduled an interview with the Bears, and NFL Network’s Jane Slater says Chicago’s interest is “very real.” ESPN’s Adam Schefter says the Saints are also expected to show interest in McCarthy; New Orleans was listed as a potential landing spot for the coach before his ouster in Dallas.

The rest of McCarthy’s staff is also free to speak with teams starting today, per Albert Breer of SI.com. Practically the entire Cowboys staff had expiring contracts, and Slater notes that there were some assistants who grew tired of the lack of uncertainty over their futures. It sounds like that includes Mike Zimmer, as the defensive coordinator has contemplated retirement, per ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. Zimmer just joined the Cowboys last offseason, and it was believed that his status with the organization would be tied to McCarthy’s status.

Jaguars Submit HC Interview Requests

January 7th, 2025 at 11:09am CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, the Jaguars fired Doug Pederson following his third season at the helm. As a result, Jacksonville is one of five teams in need of a new head coach.

On Monday, it was learned a trio of offensive coordinators were on the Jaguars’ radar: Ben Johnson (Lions), Liam Coen (Buccaneers) and Joe Brady (Bills). All three have indeed received an interview request, but the team announced on Tuesday that other coaches are also on the radar.

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is among the coaches whom the Jags are seeking an interview with. Monken has already received a slip from the Bears, and it comes as little surprise he is drawing interest from multiple suitors. Baltimore led the league in total offense this season, ranking third in scoring with an average of 30.5 points per game. A veteran position coach and coordinator at the college and pro levels, the 58-year-old has never been a head coach in the NFL.

Another OC on the Jaguars’ radar is Kellen Moore. Following a four-year run as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator, the former quarterback spent the 2023 season in the same role with the Chargers. With the Bolts making sweeping moves on the sidelines last offseason under Jim Harbaugh, though, Moore was expectedly on the move again in the 2024 hiring cycle. The 35-year-old has worked with the Eagles this year, and the team ranks top-10 in points and yards per game. Moore has also received an interview request from the Saints for their HC position.

A trio of coaches with a defensive background have received a slip from Jacksonville. That includes, interestingly, Robert Saleh. The 45-year-old was this season’s first head firing when his Jets tenure came to an end in Year 4. Saleh’s coaching history also includes four years as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator and, prior to that, several gigs as a positional coach. One of those was Jacksonville’s linebackers coach from 2014-16. Saleh has worked with the Packers since October, and it will be interesting to see if he considers a return to Duval County during this year’s hiring cycle.

In addition, Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has received an interview request. He spent the past three seasons leading Vegas’ defense, and he also has experience as a DC with the Dolphins and Giants. Graham, 45, served as an assistant head coach during two of his years in New York, but he has never led a staff at the college or NFL levels. This is his first HC interview request of the 2025 hiring cycle.

Rounding out the Jags’ list is Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. To little surprise, he has joined Johnson as one of the top candidates this year, and his name has been attached to three other suitors. Jacksonville could therefore have competition for his services if an interview is arranged and it goes well.

Many were surprised when it was learned Jags general manager Trent Baalke will be retained in the wake of Pederson’s dismissal. Questions have been raised about how willing the top candidates will be to head to Jacksonville as a result, and it will be interesting to see how many of the team’s initial targets set up an interview over the near future.

Saints Request HC Interviews With Kellen Moore, Anthony Weaver, Mike Kafka

January 6th, 2025 at 5:33pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve got three more names to add to the growing list of Saints head coach candidates. The Saints have requested interviews with Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport), Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver (via The Athletic’s Dianna Russini), and Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka (via Josina Anderson).

[RELATED: Saints Request HC Interviews With Joe Brady, Aaron Glenn]

This request represents Moore’s first of the current hiring cycle. The veteran coach just completed his first regular season as Philly’s offensive coordinator, with the Eagles failing to improve on their 2023 offensive rankings (seventh in points, eighth in yards). Still, he helped guide Saquon Barkley to a historic season, and he was previously lauded for his offensive approach in stops with the Chargers and Cowboys.

Moore isn’t a stranger to the head coaching interview circuit. He’s earned interviews in each of the past three offseasons, including meetings with the Chargers (2024), Panthers (2023), Broncos, Dolphins, Jaguars, and Vikings (2022).

Weaver was a popular name during last year’s hiring cycle, with the defensive-minded coach earning interviews with the Falcons and Commanders. He ultimately landed in Miami as the Dolphins’ new defensive coordinator. While the team’s defense struggled at times, Weaver still squeezed out a top-10 showing out of his unit, with the Dolphins ranking fourth in yards allowed and 10th in points allowed. The defensive coordinator also oversaw the development of some key defenders, including first-round edge rusher Chop Robinson.

A long-time defensive line coach, Weaver earned national attention following his three-year stint in Baltimore. He served as the Ravens defensive line coach/run game coordinator in 2021 before earning a promotion to assistant head coach in 2022. His current gig in Miami represented another promotion, so the next logical step of his coaching career would see him earning the head coach title. We learned earlier today that the Bears requested an interview with Weaver.

A former NFL journeyman, Kafka made a name for himself while coaching Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City. He parlayed his performance as Chiefs QBs coach into an OC gig with the Giants, where he’s spent the past three years. Brian Daboll wrestled away play-calling responsibilities from his OC this past offseason, and there have been rumblings that Kafka could be ousted since the head coach will be sticking around.

Kafka’s potentially ugly ending in New York clearly hasn’t hurt his head coaching chances, as we learned earlier today that the Bears requested an interview with the coordinator. Kafka interviewed for both the Seahawks and Titans gigs last offseason, and he garnered interviews for all five head coaching vacancies in 2023.

This trio joins Joe Brady and Aaron Glenn, who the Saints requested interviews with earlier today. The team has also been connected to the likes of Mike Vrabel and Matt Nagy, while interim head coach Darren Rizzi is also expected to push for a promotion to the full-time gig.

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