Saints’ coaching search could extend past Super Bowl

NFL REPORT

New Orleans is last NFL team to hire new head coach

Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, shown here in his final game with Dallas on Jan. 5, withdrew his name from consideration for the New Orleans Saints’ head coaching search on Tuesday. GARETH PATTERSON — GETTY IMAGES

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The city hosting the Super Bowl also has the only NFL team without a head coach.

The New Orleans Saints’ search for a new coach could wait until after the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs wrap up the big game next Sunday.

Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore appears to be a leading candidate for the job after his interview on Monday. The Saints can’t hire Moore until after the Super Bowl on Feb. 9 is complete.

Moore, Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi, Miami defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka all have conducted in-person interviews.

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

The New England Patriots kicked off the hiring cycle by bringing back former player and former Titans coach Mike Vrabel.

Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was hired by the New York Jets, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson went to Chicago and Pete Carroll is returning to the sideline with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Cowboys hired offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and the Jacksonville Jaguars turned to Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen.

McClay, Cowboys agree to extension

The Dallas Cowboys have agreed on a multiyear contract extension with vice president of player personnel Will McClay, who has overseen the club’s draft process since 2014.

The deal comes the same week the Cowboys introduced new coach Brian Schottenheimer, who replaced Mike McCarthy, and hired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen.

McClay’s success in the draft, which includes 15 players who have made at least one Pro Bowl, has led to interest over the years from other teams wanting to interview him for general manager openings.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has held the GM title since buying the club in 1989, and McClay has said frequently he had no desire to leave the storied franchise.

The 58-year-old McClay has been with the Cowboys since 2002, when he was a scout while also on the coaching staff of the Dallas Desperados of the Arena Football League. He was the AFL team’s head coach for five seasons.

McClay was promoted to VP of personnel in 2017. Among the picks in his tenure of running the draft are six-time All-Pro right guard Zack Martin, two-time All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons and star receiver CeeDee Lamb. All were first-round picks. Franchise quarterback Dak Prescott was a fourth-round choice in 2016.

NFL confident in Super Bowl security

The NFL’s security chief projected confidence in the league’s security plans as New Orleans prepares to host the Feb. 9 Super Bowl in the aftermath of a terror attack that killed 14 people there on New Year’s Day.

NFL chief security officer Cathy Lanier said Wednesday there will be heightened security measures around the game.

“I think the most important thing is, very clear and unequivocal, saying without hesitation that we are really confident in our security plan going into the Super Bowl,” she said.

The 11th Super Bowl hosted by New Orleans next weekend is expected to draw an estimated 100,000 visitors to the city, according to Collin Arnold, director of the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Multiple investigations are now reviewing how an Islamic State-group inspired attacker was able to drive his F-150 truck onto the city’s famed Bourbon Street and plow into New Year’s revelers.

A lawsuit alleges the city and multiple contractors failed to instigate security measures that could have prevented or mitigated the attack.

Lanier said the NFL — which had already developed a security plan over the last two years — had worked with federal, state and local authorities and reassessed security plans after the Jan. 1 attack to make fans feel comfortable going into the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.

“I think the biggest thing that you’ll see that’s different following the attacks is just a lot more visible law enforcement presence,” she said.

”We are still prepared to make new modifications should something change between now and the Super Bowl. That’s kind of our job is to be flexible and make changes, as needed.”

Lanier said the Super Bowl was given the second highest security rating possible by the Department of Homeland Security in the wake of the attack.

“I feel very confident that we’re going to the Super Bowl in an environment that people are going to feel comfortable, they’re going to feel safe and they’re going to enjoy the Super Bowl,” she said.