Underhill: Saints are interviewing probably 12 coaches [Tracker: officially 9 candidates] [three 2nd interviews scheduled] (18 Viewers)

[St. Widge]

I'm really curious as to what the appeal of Kafka is.

According to Underhill, His resume doesn't blow you away but people in the league think he’s brilliant and underrated. He also says that part of the reason Reid kept trying to get Eric Bieniemy an OC job was so he could promote Kafka and not lose him.

More from Underhill on Kafka and some of the other candidates here:

https://www.neworleans.football/2025/01/09/coach-buzz

I have no idea if he's any good, and I'm not sure any of us can, but the connections to Reid and Reid's opinion seems to be the source of the attraction.

 

[St. Geezy]

I'm really curious as to what the appeal of Kafka is.

He’s Puerto Rican, and may help check a box so that we are ready to pull the trigger on our guy in the near future. JMO.

 

[DaFranchise80]

We brought in plenty guys for OC, but I think we only brought in 5 candidates for the HC last time. IIRC it was DA, Pederson, Moore, Flores, and Glenn.

Eric Bienemy was also interviewed in the last HC search.

 

[St. Widge]

Eric Bienemy was also interviewed in the last HC search.

You're right. I forgot about that.

 

[St. Geezy]

Posted this in the Kafka/Weaver thread. This is less of a conspiracy theory and more of my own personal read on what COULD be occurring, based on all of the tea leaves…

You like conspiracy theories? Here’s one…

- There has been rumored strong interest in a Saints and McCarthy reunion, with reports first surfacing of this possibility in early January.

- There has been rumored strong interest in a Saints and Glenn reunion.

- Glenn just recently became available for in-person interviews, and we have yet to hear of any scheduled with us (I know, it’s early), though rumor has it he prefers the Jets job

- There is a rumored “early week” interview set to occur with McCarthy this week, but oddly no firm date has been confirmed as of yet

- Out of the blue, probably two of the less heralded candidates from our virtual interviews who happen to be minorities (the only two I believe) are scheduled on the same day for in-person interviews, with the backdrop of the elusive McCarthy interview still not finalized.

- Glenn would have provided one of the Rooney checkboxes in an organic fashion as a legitimate candidate, but perhaps it has been made known that he is destined for elsewhere (NYJ).

- Saints scramble, knowing that they will definitely hire a certain someone imminently since it is known behind the scenes that Glenn is taken, and they are forced to take care of the Rooney checkboxes with Kafka and Weaver immediately

- Rumored McCarthy interview is scheduled and commences, and if things go as planned, they hire him on the spot.

 

[St. Widge]

Posted this in the Kafka/Weaver thread. This is less of a conspiracy theory and more of my own personal read on what COULD be occurring, based on all of the tea leaves…

I mean, they had previously interviewed Weaver and Kafka with virtual interviews so it's not like they are out of the blue for getting in person interviews. I suspect you are right that Glenn and McCarthy are the top choices (not sure which is #1). But Glenn still might come in for an interview and I think that Kafka and Weaver or likely at least guys they are considering. Otherwise they just would have brought them in the first time for in person interviews to satisfy the Rooney Rule instead of doing virtual interviews first.

I also think some of this is also the result of the weather situation in New Orleans. Things are going to be delayed by the City shutting down for 2 or 3 days. I don't even know what capabilities MSY has as far as flights during a snow event and even if they are operating I know that Kenner and Metairie aren't ready to have a safe trip from MSY to Airline Drive with ice and snow on the roads.

And what we really don't know is how much they like Brady. If they really like Brady, they may be willing to be patient and wait until they can talk to him.

 

[St. Geezy]

I mean, they had previously interviewed Weaver and Kafka with virtual interviews so it's not like they are out of the blue for getting in person interviews. I suspect you are right that Glenn and McCarthy are the top choices (not sure which is #1). But Glenn still might come in for an interview and I think that Kafka and Weaver or likely at least guys they are considering. Otherwise they just would have brought them in the first time for in person interviews to satisfy the Rooney Rule instead of doing virtual interviews first.

I also think some of this is also the result of the weather situation in New Orleans. Things are going to be delayed by the City shutting down for 2 or 3 days. I don't even know what capabilities MSY has as far as flights during a snow event and even if they are operating I know that Kenner and Metairie aren't ready to have a safe trip from MSY to Airline Drive with ice and snow on the roads.

And what we really don't know is how much they like Brady. If they really like Brady, they may be willing to be patient and wait until they can talk to him.

I think we planned to organically comply with the Rooney Rule, honor it’s true purpose and have these guys be an actual part of the process, but the haste in which the dominoes are starting to fall following the unexpected Lions loss, coupled with my speculative theory that Glenn to the Jets is all but done, has both accelerated the process and also made immediate compliance more of a priority rather than having minorities organically be part of the process, which would have included Glenn.

 

[St. Widge]

I think we planned to organically comply with the Rooney Rule, honor it’s true purpose and have these guys be an actual part of the process, but the haste in which the dominoes are starting to fall following the unexpected Lions loss, coupled with my speculative theory that Glenn to the Jets is all but done, has both accelerated the process and also made immediate compliance more of a priority rather than having minorities organically be part of the process, which would have included Glenn.

Could be. I do think if Ben Johnson goes to the Bears, and he may be flying there today to interview, then McCarty likely ends up with the Saints unless the Saints decide to go another direction. But I don't see that happening if Glenn goes to the Jets.

I have not heard that McCarthy is in play for any other jobs and I can't see him going to the Raiders or Jacksonville. But, I guess Jacksonville is a possibility.

 

[saintfan1972]

I think McCarthy is the guy. By doing these other interviews, you are satisfying the Rooney rule plus if something goes wrong with McCarthy, they already have guys through the 2nd interview process. I personally don't think it will be Brady. I think Glenn goes to NY.

 

[St. Geezy]

I think McCarthy is the guy. By doing these other interviews, you are satisfying the Rooney rule plus if something goes wrong with McCarthy, they already have guys through the 2nd interview process. I personally don't think it will be Brady. I think Glenn goes to NY.

I think it’s very very likely to be McCarthy, and Moore/Kingsbury/Brady/Nagy are in competition to be the backup if that somehow falls through.

Maybe they do the due diligence with the losers after this weekend’s games just to be sure, but I can’t see us waiting much longer.

The timing sucks in that regard, but sometimes that’s how these things go.

And I agree, can’t see the Jets letting an alumni out of the building for that role.

 

[Steve in Colorado]

After thinking about this a lot and as much as I'd like to see an offensive coach hired as HC for the Saints, I think Weaver has the largest upside of all of the candidates after researching him. He would probably be my choice, but it seems unlikely to happen.

 

[SAINTSFAN]

Vrabel can come off the tracker as he was hired before ever interviewing.

 

[SonOfNOLA]

Vrabel can come off the tracker as he was hired before ever interviewing.

Vrabel’s included on the candidate list for reference of official requests to date. There was official interest and were working on scheduling interview but didn’t secure a date due to Pats hire.

As oppose to expected interest in Nagy, Gruden, Davis Webb and David Shaw. No word came about on the team officially taking the next step to schedule those interviews. They seem to have possibly been the 10th-13th coaches that the team were considering.

After the second interviews, plus McCarthy’s, are completed, the candidate list will become the overall interview list.

In case there’s an unlikely chance that new candidates pop up in the search, the tracker is the candidate list right now.