Source: McCarthy pulls out of Saints’ coaching search, won’t coach in ’25

Mike McCarthy has decided against coaching in 2025, removing himself as a candidate to fill the NFL’s last remaining head coaching vacancy with the New Orleans Saints.

A person familiar with McCarthy’s decision disclosed it to The Associated Press on Tuesday night.

McCarthy is the third high-profile candidate to pull out of the Saints’ search, joining Buffalo offensive coordinator Joe Brady and Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

New Orleans’ remaining candidates include Philadelphia offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi, Miami defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, all of whom have conducted in-person interviews.

If the Saints plan to hire Moore, they would have to wait until after the Eagles play the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Feb. 9.

The 61-year-old McCarthy, who spent the past five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and won a Super Bowl during his 12 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, was the most established candidate under consideration by the Saints.

Kingsbury expected back for a second season as Commanders OC

ASHBURN, Va. — Kliff Kingsbury is expected to return for a second season as the Washington Commanders’ offensive coordinator, a move that was anticipated for some time given his comfort level on Dan Quinn’s staff coaching dynamic young quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Multiple outlets reported Tuesday that Kingsbury had attracted interest from the New Orleans Saints for their head-coaching vacancy but that he told them and other NFL teams he would be remaining with Washington. The Saints were the only job left open after Chicago, Dallas, New England, Jacksonville, Las Vegas and the New York Jets hired coaches.

“I’m very happy here,” Kingsbury said recently.

Kingsbury is still getting paid, reportedly $7.5 million annually, by the Arizona Cardinals through 2027 after signing a long-term extension with them in 2022 and getting fired 11 months later, along with general manager Steve Keim.

Washington scored the fifth-most points in the league during the regular season, going 12-5 and winning two playoff games before losing in the NFC championship game at Philadelphia.

AP Source: Lions hire Broncos’ Morton as OC, promote Sheppard to DC

The Detroit Lions have agreed to hire Denver Broncos assistant John Morton as offensive coordinator and promote Kelvin Sheppard to defensive coordinator, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Detroit had both coordinators depart to become head coaches. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was hired by the Chicago Bears and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn left to lead the New York Jets, just days after the top-seeded Lions were stunned by sixth-seeded Washington in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs.

Johnson and Glenn are finalists for The Associated Press NFL Assistant Coach of the Year award.

AP Coach of the Year finalist Dan Campbell said he expected both coordinators to leave even before they were hired.

Campbell said quarterback Jared Goff would have some say in who was chosen as offensive coordinator, adding he didn’t expect the Pro Bowler to take a step back without Johnson calling plays.

“This thing is set up for Goff to have success with our playmakers,” Campbell said last week.

Goff is familiar with Morton because he was a senior offensive assistant for the Lions in 2022.

Ravens hire former Colts coach Pagano to work with their secondary

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens have hired former Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano to join their defensive staff.

The team announced the move Tuesday night, saying Pagano would be a senior secondary coach. Pagano coached the Colts from 2012-17. He then spent a couple seasons with the Chicago Bears before retiring as their defensive coordinator after the 2020 season.

Now he’s returning to the NFL. Pagano has some experience with the Ravens, having served as a secondary coach and defensive coordinator for Baltimore before becoming coach of the Colts.

“It is exciting to add coach Chuck Pagano to our defensive staff and continue to develop and grow our young and talented secondary,” coach John Harbaugh said in a statement. “Chuck brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and coaching talent to our team. He has deep ties to the program and is excited to get to work.”

Bears hire Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator under new coach Johnson

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Chicago Bears have hired Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator and Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator under new coach Ben Johnson.

Chicago also is keeping Richard Hightower as special teams coordinator as it looks to rebound after going 5-12 this season.

The addition of Allen, 52, puts a former head coach on Johnson’s first staff in his new position. Allen went 18-25 with New Orleans before he was fired on Nov. 4 after the Saints lost seven consecutive games. He also coached the Raiders for two-plus seasons, going 8-28.

While his two stints as a head coach in the NFL were unsuccessful, Allen is an experienced defensive coordinator. He had that role in New Orleans for six seasons, and his unit was ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in 2020 and 2021.

“A great defensive mind with NFL head coach acumen, I look forward to Dennis coordinating our defense and helping lead our team,” Johnson said in a release.

The 38-year-old Johnson is filling out his staff after he was hired last week. He will call the offensive plays for Caleb Williams and the Bears after spending the past three seasons as Detroit’s offensive coordinator.