Saints make major change to coaching staff

Jan 2, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; The New Orleans Saints logo on the field before their game against the Carolina Panthers at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Saints are sticking with head coach Dennis Allen following a third straight season without a playoff appearance, but they will have a new offensive coordinator for the first time in well over a decade.

The Saints have fired offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr., according to multiple reports.

Carmichael had been the Saints’ offensive coordinator since 2009. He was hired as an offensive assistant by Sean Payton in Payton’s first year as head coach in New Orleans back in 2006. Carmichael was the only remaining member of the Saints’ staff that had been there since Payton was the coach.

The Saints averaged 23.6 points per game this season, which placed them 9th in the league. While the results do not look that bad on paper, there were times where the offense looked completely out of sync. Veteran quarterback Derek Carr even had a heated exchange with Carmichael on the sideline at one point.

A change was inevitable for the Saints after their 9-8 season, though many fans have made it clear that they wanted a different one.