The season ended for the New Orleans Saints after Week 18, so they didn’t waste any time getting down to business. The Saints quickly started their coaching search, requesting interviews with multiple candidates throughout the league. While it’s still early in the process, it was widely reported that New Orleans had its sight set on Aaron Glenn.
The Detroit Lions defensive coordinator is a hot candidate this hiring cycle, and his history with New Orleans made him a great fit for the franchise. Add in that he has been dominant as a coordinator, and it’s easy to see why he may have been the top guy for the Saints.
On Monday, however, that could’ve changed. Glenn is still available, and has a chance to be the next head coach in New Orleans, but another experienced coach was recently added to the pool of candidates. It was reported that Mike McCarthy would not be returning to the Dallas Cowboys, and he’ll instead become a top candidate for the Chicago Bears and Saints.
The #Cowboys and coach Mike McCarthy appear to be over. Saints and Bears have interest. https://t.co/746G6vFgHH
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 13, 2025
Saints have interest in Mike McCarthy after his departure from Cowboys
McCarthy wasn’t initially a part of the coaching search, because he was still under contract with the Cowboys, and they weren’t allowing him to speak with other teams. However, after negotiations fell through between the veteran head coach and Dallas, he’s now a free agent that can speak with anyone. Multiple insiders have reported that Chicago and New Orleans are the most interested.
It’s no surprise McCarthy already has a lot of interest. He served as the Green Bay Packers head coach from 2006 to 2018, winning Super Bowl 45, and also coached Dallas from 2020 to 2024. He doesn’t just have plenty of head coaching experience, he has plenty of experience being a successful head coach.
In 18 seasons, McCarthy has a 174-112-2 record, along with 12 trips to the playoffs, where he is 11-11 with one Super Bowl.
He also has ties to the Saints, serving as the team’s offensive coordinator from 2000 to 2004. Now, New Orleans could be bringing him back to town, asking him to turn the franchise around.