After parts of three seasons, the New Orleans Saints decided to fire Dennis Allen and are now searching for a new head coach. One candidate that the team is expected to have an interest in, now that he’s available, is former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy. However, the former Super Bowl winner is expected to draw interest from several teams.
That could lead the Saints to hiring another coach, one who’s already familiar with how things work in New Orleans.
Related: New Orleans Saints could turn to former Super Bowl-winning head coach
New Orleans Saints predicted to hire Aaron Glenn
Another candidate who’s strongly been linked to the New Orleans Saints’ coaching vacancy is former player and defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn. Nowadays, Glenn is known for operating as the Detroit Lions’ defensive coordinator, but he’s said to be eyeing another promotion, and the Saints could present the perfect opportunity.
Recently, The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt made some coaching predictions, trying to plot which top candidates would fill each of the NFL’s current vacancies. When it came to the Saints, Rosenblatt predicted New Orleans to hire Glenn.
“Glenn is beloved in New Orleans for his time as their defensive backs coach from 2016-20 under Sean Payton, and he spent his final year as a player there, in 2008. It feels like a safe bet that he lands in either New Orleans or New York. Glenn is likely more open to the Saints job than some of the other top candidates, and it doesn’t hurt that he has an endorsement from Drew Brees (and would get one from Payton if the team called him).”
The Athletic on New Orleans Saints/Aaron Glenn
As Brees noted, Glenn has been around Sean Payton and Dan Campbell, getting a first-hand look at how to establish a winning culture. Could he bring that mentality to New Orleans too?
Rosenblatt suggested that if the Saints don’t hire Glenn, another name to watch could be Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver or Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady. Both have emerged as popular candidates after leading top-ten units during the 2024-25 season. However, like Glenn, neither have ever been an NFL head coach before.
