The New Orleans Saints have hired Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as their head coach, the team announced Tuesday.
Moore, 36, spent only one season as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, but it was a fruitful one, as Philadelphia won Super Bowl 59 — and quarterback Jalen Hurts, under Moore’s tutelage, won the Super Bowl MVP award.
“I am excited to join the New Orleans Saints and deeply appreciate the faith that [owner Gayle] Benson and the entire Saints organization have placed in me,” Moore said in a statement. “I look forward to embracing the challenges ahead and am eager to get started. I would also like to thank the Philadelphia Eagles for an incredible 2024 season. I’m excited to begin this new chapter.”
The Saints finished the 2024 season 5-12 and in third place in the NFC South. After a 2-0 start, New Orleans lost seven games in a row. Head coach Dennis Allen was fired in November, with special teams assistant Darren Rizzi taking over on an interim basis for the rest of the season.
Moore’s coaching career began in 2018 after a six-year playing career in which he appeared in only three games. He was the Dallas Cowboys’ quarterbacks coach before he was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2019, a position he held through 2022.
Moore then spent one season as the Los Angeles Chargers’ offensive coordinator in 2023.
Under Moore, Philadelphia’s offense in the regular season finished eighth in yards per game, second in rushing yards per game and seventh in points per game. The Eagles also averaged a playoff best 36.3 points in their four postseason games.
One of Moore’s key decisions this summer will be what to do at the quarterback position. Derek Carr signed a four-year, $150 million contract with the Saints in 2023, but he appeared in only 10 games last season because of multiple injuries.
New Orleans would incur a cap penalty of slightly more than $50 million if Carr is cut before June 1, per Over The Cap. If Carr is cut with a post-June 1 designation or traded after that date, the cap penalty would be spread out over multiple seasons.
The defense will also be an area of improvement for the Saints, who allowed the third-most yards per game in the league in 2024. One of New Orleans’ candidates for defensive coordinator is San Francisco 49ers assistant Brandon Staley, ESPN reported. Staley was the head coach of the Chargers when Moore was their offensive coordinator.
As for the Super Bowl champions, Philadelphia will be looking for its third offensive coordinator in three seasons.