While it seems like it would be a good idea for the Philadelphia Eagles — the players at least — to all turn their phones on airplane mode on the eve of Super Bowl LIX against the Kansas City Chiefs, common sense tells us that’s almost certainly not the case.
Which means that less than 24 hours before the biggest game of their lives, the Eagles learned along with the rest of the world that offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is almost certainly set to become the next head coach of the New Orleans Saints.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the news on Moore and the Saints.
“Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is expected to become the New Orleans Saints’ head coach, barring any unexpected developments, league sources told ESPN,” Schefter wrote on February 8. “Moore has been the top candidate for the vacant Saints job since completing a pair of interviews with New Orleans last month.”
It’s the second Super Bowl in 3 seasons for the Eagles and the second time in 3 seasons they’ve had to deal with a coaching distraction ahead of the Super Bowl.
Moore, 36 years old, is in his first season as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator after previously holding the same position with the Los Angeles Chargers and Dallas Cowboys.
The Saints are the only NFL team with a head coach opening and were previously looking at Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, who both pulled their names out of the running.
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Even though Moore and the Saints can’t make the hire official until after the Super Bowl, per NFL rules, the question has to be raised as to if Moore’s mind might be elsewhere as he tries to formulate a game plan to beat the Chiefs. This is also familiar territory for the Eagles, who are in the Super Bowl against the Chiefs for the second time in 3 seasons.
Philadelphia lost both of its offensive coordinators following the 2022 season with offensive coordinator Shane Steichen leaving to become the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon leaving to become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
The Chiefs won that Super Bowl, 38-35, and following the loss a lot of the blame fell on Gannon’s shoulders after the Eagles’ defense gave up 17 points in the fourth quarter.
Afterward, the Cardinals self-reported a tampering violation that resulted in the teams exchanging third round picks in the 2023 NFL draft, with the Eagles moving up from the No. 94 overall pick to the No. 66 overall pick. The Cardinals also received the Eagles’ fifth round pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
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On the flip side, Steichen and Gannon have been pretty awful as head coaches so far. Through 2 seasons, Steichen is 17-17 and Gannon is 12-22 and neither team has made the playoffs.
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Marcus Hayes reported the Eagles were “furious” with Gannon and the Cardinals.
The Athletic’s Diana Russini had even more details on the Saints’ plan.
“Moore, stepping into his first-ever head coaching role, won’t be going at it alone,” Russini wrote on February 9. “The plan? Surround him with experienced, veteran assistants who can help him navigate the steep learning curve that comes with leading a franchise for the first time. For New Orleans, this hire signals a fresh offensive direction — one the Saints desperately need after an up-and-down season. Now, the real question is: Can Moore bring out the best in this Saints roster and finally get this team back into serious contention?”
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