The Saints are hiring several coaches to round out Kellen Moore‘s staff, including former Rams head coach Scott Linehan, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.
The 61-year-old Linehan has 35 years of coaching experience, including several stints as offensive coordinator at top college programs (Washington, Louisville) and several NFL teams (Vikings, Dolphins, Rams, Cowboys). He also served as the Rams’ head coach from 2006-2008. The team compiled an 11-25 record before Linehan was fired due to an 0-4 start to the 2008 season.
Linehan has spent the last five years coaching at the college level. He was LSU’s passing game coordinator in 2020 before taking offensive analyst positions at Missouri (2021-2023) and Montana (2024). Now, he’s set to join Moore’s staff, likely in a role under offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier.
Linehan has plenty of familiarity with his new colleagues. He was the Lions’ offensive coordinator when they signed Moore as an undrafted rookie quarterback in 2012. Linehan recognized Moore’s potential as a coach and began mentoring him in Detroit, per Nick Triplett of NewOrleans.Football. Linehan then brought Moore with him to Dallas when he took over as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator in 2015.
Linehan was also the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Idaho in 1992 and 1993 when Nussmeier was the Vandals’ starting quarterback. Nussmeier has also served as an assistant coach on Linehan’s staff with the Rams and the Cowboys.
The Saints are also adding to their defensive staff with expected hires of Grady Brown and Robert Blanton, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. Brown is a veteran defensive backs coach who spent the last four years with the Steelers and interviewed for the Falcons’ defensive coordinator vacancy this year.
Blanton is a former NFL safety who briefly overlapped with Moore when both played for the Cowboys in 2017. He has spent the last four years as the defensive pass game coordinator and safeties coach at Miami University (Ohio).