Here’s another name for the New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator search: Brian Johnson. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini first reported that the Saints scheduled an interview with Johnson for their offensive coordinator vacancy on Monday; Johnson held the same position this season with the Philadelphia Eagles, his first as a play caller in the NFL.
Johnson, who turns 37 in February, faced criticism throughout the season but he managed an effective run-first offense. The Eagles ranked 11th in yards per carry and leaned hard on running back D’Andre Swift, who had his first 1,000-yard season in the NFL. Star receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith each finished with 80-plus receptions and 1,000-plus receiving yards. Quarterback Jalen Hurts threw a career-high 15 interceptions but otherwise maintained his production as a passer while being asked to make fewer plays with his legs as a rusher, though he still had 15 rushing touchdowns.
A well-established member of the Eagles coaching staff (before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2023, Johnson worked closely with Hurts as Philadelphia’s quarterbacks coach in 2021 and 2022), Johnson spent most of his career at the college level. He previously worked as an offensive coordinator at Utah, Houston, and Florida with other stops as a quarterbacks coach at Mississippi State.
