METAIRIE, La. – Kellen Moore figures his upbringing as a coach’s son outweighs any issues about his relative youth as he begins his first NFL head teaching job with the New Orleans Saints.
“Everybody likes to say it takes 10,000 hours to turn out to be an knowledgeable,” the 36-year-old Moore mentioned throughout his formal introduction at staff headquarters on Thursday.
“I’ve been getting ready for this my total life,” added Moore, who grew to become the NFL’s youngest head coach on Tuesday. “I really feel prepared.”
Moore is lower than per week faraway from profitable a Tremendous Bowl because the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive coordinator. Now he takes over a Saints franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2020, the ultimate marketing campaign of record-setting quarterback Drew Brees’ profession.
For the previous two seasons, the Saints quarterback has been Derek Carr, who’s 14-13 as a starter with New Orleans and has two years left on his contract.
Moore was extremely complimentary of Carr — towards whom he performed as soon as in school — however stopped wanting guaranteeing he’d be the beginning QB in 2025.
“Derek’s an incredible quarterback on this league,” Moore mentioned. “I’ve a lot respect for him for the journey that he’s been on — a starter on this league, a premier participant on this league.”
Sean Payton, essentially the most profitable coach in Saints historical past, was 42 when New Orleans common supervisor Mickey Loomis made him a first-time head coach in 2006. 4 years later, the Saints gained the franchise’s solely Tremendous Bowl.
Comparisons are simple to make between Moore and Payton, who briefly retired after the 2021 season and is now teaching the Denver Broncos..
Each performed quarterback in school, Payton for Jap Illinois and Moore for Boise State. Each served as NFL quarterbacks coaches and offensive coordinators earlier than getting their first head teaching jobs in New Orleans.
“Everybody has a lot respect for what Sean’s completed on this league,” Moore mentioned. “Actually the requirements have been constructed based mostly off his basis — and we love that. We need to embrace that.
“And possibly Mickey has a kind,” he added with a smile. “I don’t know.”
Payton was succeeded by his former defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen, who went 18-25 in two-and-a-half seasons earlier than being fired in November.
The Saints have been the final of the NFL groups in search of a brand new coach this season to rent one.
“It took longer than we anticipated just because the Eagles stored profitable,” Loomis mentioned. “His expertise and success as participant and as a place coach and offensive coordinator have ready him effectively for this chance.”
It has been a surreal week for Moore, who spent the week main as much as the Tremendous Bowl figuring out of Saints headquarters, which have been assigned to the Eagles as their apply website. He spent Tremendous Bowl Sunday in what is generally the Saints locker room and on the house sideline.
Then he bought to have fun what so far has been the best second of his teaching profession within the metropolis that he’ll now name dwelling for the foreseeable future.
“This place actually is a particular place for my household, for the alternatives we’ve had the final couple of weeks,” Moore mentioned. “That is such an unbelievable place and we will’t wait to make it dwelling.”
Like Payton did for many of his tenure in New Orleans, Moore will name offensive performs.
And whereas Moore mentioned he has sure philosophies which are vital to him, he additionally believes within the significance of with the ability to adapting schemes and play calls to the energy of accessible gamers.
“Whether or not we’ve to throw it 50 occasions or run it 50 occasions, I actually don’t care how we bought to win a soccer recreation, we’ll do this based mostly on who we’ve accessible to us and who’s on our roster,” he mentioned.
Moore grew up desirous to observe within the footsteps of his father, Tom, a long-time highschool coach in Prosser, Washington.
After starring at Boise State, Moore spent six years as an NFL participant, principally as a reserve of apply quarter QB earlier than following his father into teaching — albeit on the NFL degree with the Dallas Cowboys — in 2018.
He was barely 30 when his first coaching camp as a coach started with gamers who’d been his Cowboys teammates a 12 months earlier.
His youth did not hinder him then and will not now, he mentioned.
“It’s about being genuine, being constant, and, you already know, the gamers really feel such as you’re serving to them turn out to be the most effective model of their self,” Moore mentioned. “That’s all they’ll ask for.”
He spent one season as quarterbacks coach earlier than being promoted to offensive coordinator at age 31 — the place he additionally held with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023 and Eagles in 2024.
His final two stops “allowed me to get out of my consolation zone. I believe that’s actually, actually vital as you develop as a coach or a participant,” Moore mentioned.
Whereas Moore mentioned he liked teaching with Nick Sirianni in Philadelphia, he noticed his new alternative with New Orleans as too good to cross up.
He mentioned he has lengthy been impressed by the Saints from afar, despite the fact that they’d their worst report since 2005 final season, once they have been beset by accidents, together with to Carr, who missed seven video games — all of which New Orleans misplaced.
“Clearly accidents have been a problem this 12 months and people issues generally are difficult and uncontrollable circumstances,” Moore mentioned. “We acknowledge there’s a lot good happening right here. We need to embrace the great. Don’t lose any of the great whereas constructing this factor the correct means.”
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