Darren Rizzi gave it his best shot after being named the New Orleans Saints’ interim head coach once Dennis Allen was fired in Week 10. But Rizzi couldn’t salvage a season that was already lost after a 2-7 start. Rizzi managed to lead the Saints to a respectable 3-5 record, but that won’t get anyone back to the playoffs.
Now, the Saints are seeking an upgrade, and they’ve spoken with a long list of interview candidates. But that search could come to an end if they get the candidate many believe they have at the top of their list.
Related: New Orleans Saints predicted to hire potential ‘culture-setter’ as next head coach
New Orleans Saints expected to hire Aaron Glenn for head coaching job
The New Orleans Saints are just one of six NFL teams with a head coaching vacancy. Yet one of the top candidates, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, has close ties to the Saints’ organization.
Now, he’s being predicted to land in New Orleans by ESPN’s NFL insider Jeremy Fowler.
“Here’s one that most of the people I’ve been talking to seem to agree on. (Aaron) Glenn is expected to land one of the open head coaching jobs this cycle, and he has connections with the Saints and Jets. He played the final season of his career for the Saints in 2008 and was the team’s defensive backs coach from 2016 to 2020 before following Dan Campbell to Detroit and becoming the Lions’ defensive coordinator. He also played for the Jets from 1994 to 2001, and his post-playing career in the NFL started in their scouting department in 2012.
I don’t know which job Glenn would pick if it came down to a choice between the Saints and Jets. But based on everything I have heard, I expect the Saints — whose process seems less expansive so far than the Jets’ process — to make a strong push for Glenn and probably land him.”
Glenn has previously been called a potential “culture-setter,” which could be exactly what the Saints need after finally pulling the plug on what remained of the Sean Payton coaching tree.
Related: New Orleans Saints could turn to former Super Bowl-winning head coach