The San Francisco 49ers are headed to Super Bowl LVIII, and they’re taking some popular offensive coordinator candidates with them. Passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak and quarterbacks coach Brian Griese have both interviewed with the New Orleans Saints at least once. But they cannot be hired as offensive coordinator — with New Orleans or any other team — until after the Super Bowl.
With the Saints’ search for an offensive coordinator dragging out longer than fans may have anticipated, it’s fair to wonder if New Orleans is waiting for Kubiak or Griese to become available.
Earlier this week NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reported that the search “has narrowed considerably” and that the Saints “are adhering to league rules as they go through the process.”
That report came just before the Saints interviewed Baltimore Ravens wide receivers coach Greg Lewis and met with ex-Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy for the second time, but it’s still noteworthy. It would suggest that the Saints are abiding by the NFL anti-tampering policy for assistants coaching in the Super Bowl, which states the following:
No Coordinator interviews can be requested, granted, or occur after the Saturday of Conference Championship weekend (Saturday, January 27) for any assistant coach whose club is still participating in the postseason.
So we’re in a dead period. If the Saints have identified Kubiak or Griese as their top candidate (or if they simply want to interview them again and go over the job more thoroughly), they must wait until Feb. 12 to take action. The NFL wants its coaches in the Super Bowl focusing on, well, the Super Bowl. Interviewing with other teams is seen as a distraction.
