Report: Saints Interviewed Jay Gruden For Offensive Coordinator Position

The New Orleans Saints interviewed Jay Gruden as their offensive coordinator yesterday. Saints News Network's John Hendrix confirmed the report from Matt Zenitz of On3Sports.

Saints head coach Dennis Allen has yet to fill either coordinator position. Allen, former defensive coordinator, was officially introduced as head coach to replace Sean Payton who stepped down after 16 seasons in New Orleans.

Gruden, 54, is the third person known to interview for offensive coordinator position. The team also spoke with Cowboys wide receivers coach Robert Prince and Colts running backs coach Scottie Montgomery last week.

Pete Carmichael was New Orleans' offensive coordinator since 2009. Carmichael will reportedly remain with the team in a different capacity.

Gruden was the offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars two years ago. He was also a quarterback in the World Football League and Arena Football League from 1991 to 2003 and is a member of the Arena Football Hall of Fame.

Gruden also started his coaching career in the Arena League. First as offensive coordinator of the Nashville Kats in 1997, then as head coach of the Orlando Predators from 1998 to 2001.

Jay is the younger brother of former NFL head coach Jon Gruden and was an offensive assistant on his brother's staff with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2002 to 2008. Tampa Bay won Super Bowl XXXVII in his first year with the team.

Jon Gruden and his staff were fired after the 2008 season. Jay landed an offensive coordinator position with the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League in 2009. After one season, he succeeded former Saints coach Jim Haslett as head coach of the Tuskers but would remain there just one year.

In 2011, Gruden was hired as the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals. He was with Cincinnati for three seasons and three postseason appearances. His offenses ranked in the top twenty just once, in 2013.

Gruden was hired to be the head coach of the Washington Redskins in 2014 after attracting interest throughout the league. Washington made the playoffs in 2015, his first of two straight winning records. It would be his only postseason trip with the Redskins.

Gruden was fired five games into the 2019 season with a 35-49-1 record. His Washington offense ranked third in 2016 (second in passing yardage), but failed to crack the top-12 in the NFL in five of his six seasons with the team.

The Jaguars ranked 28th in total offense under Gruden in 2020, his only year with the team. Jacksonville finished with a 1-15 record that year under head coach Doug Marrone, currently the Saints offensive line coach.

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