New Orleans Saints Risk Losing Important Piece Of Coaching Staff, Michael Hodges Interviewing For Patriots Defensive Coordinator Role
NEW ORLEANS -- The busy offseason of the New Orleans Saints has been mostly centered around changes on the offensive side of the coaching staff. On Friday, news hit that could actually impact the opposite of the ball. And if it did, it would be in a big way.
Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Saints linebackers coach Michael Hodges will interview for the New England Patriots' defensive coordinator role. With former inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo succeeding Bill Belichick in Foxboro, there will certainly be an appreciation for Hodges' list of accomplishments as he explores the opportunity.
Michael Hodges
Beyond heralding the quick development of young linebackers like Pete Werner, Kaden Elliss, Zack Baun and Nephi Sewell, Hodges also helped Demario Davis achieve all five of his All-Pro level seasons in New Orleans. In 2019, when Hodges was moved from defensive assistant to assistant linebackers coach, Davis was recognized as a first-team All-Pro member for the first time in his career.
Davis has gone on since then to be named a second-team All-Pro linebacker every year since 2020 with Hodges as his linebackers coach. Now, Davis has been stellar for a long time and arguably could have been named All-Pro almost a handful of times before even arriving in New Orleans, but the charge he has had working with Hodges in the Big Easy is undeniable.
Beyond the development aspect of the job, Hodges is a fantastic cultivator of relationships with his players. At just 37 years old, he is a young coach in the league and working with both young and veteran players can therefore be a challenge. Hodges however, has done nothing more but rise to that occasion. Not only has he been excellent working with younger guys but has built a valuable relationship with a veteran player like Davis that has paid dividends for the entire defense.
For the Saints, this would be a major loss. Not just because of what they would lose on their coaching staff, but with players like Baun, Ty Summer and Andrew Dowell hitting free agency, it would not be surprising to see them follow Hodges to New England should he get the gig. Baun started to come along at the end of the year as a strongside linebacker with a pass rushing role while Summers and Dowell (when he has been healthy) have been major special teams contributors. The Patriots put just about as much pride in the special teams phase of the game as New Orleans.
Thus far, Hodges is the first Saints assistant to be tapped for a coordinator interview (running backs coach Joel Thomas took the same role with the New York Giants). No doubt he deserves advancement and more opportunities in the league. But there is no denying that New Orleans would love to keep him in place working with their linebackers, especially with the potential to add more young talent to that group this offseason.
