The Saints had to mount a comeback to get back into the playoffs, which led to a surprising decision from their longtime rival, Pete Carmichael.
After stints with the San Diego Chargers, Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns, Carmichael joined the Saints coaching staff starting in 2006 and eventually became the Saints’ offensive coordinator in 2009, a position he continues to hold today.
New Orleans’ offense has been in decline in recent years, with head coach Dennis Allen firing Carmichael and assistant general manager Bob Bicknell and general manager Cody Burns also being fired by Allen.
These are some big changes on offense that should be adjusted, but Carmichael’s sack was an eye-opener. Carmichael led the offense during the Drew Brees era, helping New Orleans win Super Bowl 44 over the Indianapolis Colts.
With Carmichael out, New Orleans will need a new offensive coordinator to replace its veteran coach, and hopefully whoever they bring in in 2023 will be more effective than Carmichael. It’s the Saints who are rebuilding and their practices are terrible.
New Orleans announced Tuesday that it fired offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, assistant offensive line coach Bob Bicknell and wide receivers coach Cody Burns.
“I want to thank Pete, Bob and Cody for their commitment to the New Orleans Saints organization and coaching staff,”
head coach Dennis Allen said in a statement.
“I want to thank Pete for his 18 years with this organization.”
Saints fire offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael. https://t.co/99ek7wCH1t
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 16, 2024
Carmichael was heavily criticized for a lackluster New Orleans offense in 2023, which ranked ninth in points scored and No. 1 in points scored.
Carmichael has been New Orleans’ offensive coordinator since 2009. He joined the Saints as quarterbacks coach in 2006, former Sean Payton’s first year with the team.
Former Raiders and Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden is the candidate to take over the offensive coordinator position. Last week, nola.com’s Jeff Duncan reported that New Orleans wanted to reunite Gruden with quarterback Derek Carr.
While the report suggests Gruden will have a title such as senior offensive assistant, Carmichael will not have the role of coordinator in the facility.
Offensive lineman Pete Carmichael has been fired after an 18-year, multi-tasking career with the Saints, according to multiple reports.
“I want to thank Pete, Bob and Cody for their contributions to the New Orleans Saints organization and coaching staff,”
head coach Dennis Allen said.
Carmichael, the last remaining member of Sean Payton’s administration, was hired as quarterbacks coach in 2009 after spending his first three seasons as quarterbacks coach.
The 2021 season ended with New Orleans’ worst offensive performance since 2000, which was one of the reasons Payton decided to leave after the season.
He won Super Bowl XLIV with his team and was the last remaining coach from the Payton administration.
Payton has served as the Saints’ play-caller for almost his entire tenure with the franchise, but he resigned from the Saints after the 2021 season and is now the head coach of the Denver Broncos.
New Orleans missed the playoffs for the third year in a row. Carmichael and Drew Brees came to New Orleans from the then-San Diego Chargers.
He also coached Pro Bowl running back Mark Ingram and All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham, who returned to the starting lineup this season.
The coach took over as quarterback/passer in 2008, when Brees won Offensive Player of the Year and the Saints ranked first in the league in passing. Payton took over in 2011 after injuring his foot in Week 6 and led the Saints offense to a record-setting season with 547 total points, fourth in net yards and league history.
After stints in Washington and San Diego, Carmichael joined the Saints as quarterbacks coach in 2006 and was promoted to offensive coordinator under head coach Sean Payton for three years in later.
“I would like to thank Pete, Bob and Cody for their contributions to the New Orleans Saints and coaching staff,” Saints head Coach Dennis Allen said in a statement. I would like to especially thank Pete for his contributions to this team over 18 seasons.”
“Decisions like this are never easy to make, but they are necessary as we move forward,”
Saints coach Dennis Allen, who oversees New Orleans’ defense, said in a statement Tuesday.
A major offensive shakeup: The #Saints are moving on from OC Pete Carmichael, per me and @TomPelissero, changing their offense for the first time since 2009.
Head coach Dennis Allen needs a new offensive coordinator. pic.twitter.com/YibwJPVz1a
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 16, 2024
New Orleans (9-8) started 5-7 but won four of its last five games by 10 or more points, but lost unfavorable tiebreakers against Tampa Bay and Green Bay. In the end, they unfortunately missed out on advancing to the postseason.
Carmichael has been with the Saints since 2006, when he was hired as quarterback coach by then-rookie coach Sean Payton during quarterback Drew Brees’ first season in New Orleans.
“I especially want to thank Pete for his contributions to this team over 18 seasons,”
said Allen, who worked with Carmichael in New Orleans for 14 seasons from 2006 to 2023.
Carmichael took over as offensive coordinator under Payton in 2009, but as head coach he oversaw the design and execution of an offense primarily led by the now-retired Brees for a record 15 seasons.
When Payton, now the coach of the Denver Broncos, retired immediately after the 2021 season, Allen, who was promoted from the defensive coordinator role, continued to leave Carmichael in charge of the offense.
The highlight of Carmichael’s time running the offense in New Orleans came in 2012, when Payton was criticized by the NFL for taking too many penalties and some painful plays on defense under former coordinator Gregg Williams.
Although the Saints have not discussed a candidate who can replace Carmichael, the club has formed a relationship with former NFL coach Jon Gruden, who has coached Carr since 2021 in Las Vegas.
Gruden hasn’t played professional football since leaving Las Vegas, but he visited the Saints’ OTAs last summer and gave the Saints an informal chat about the poor design of the former’s career. Carr.
But he won’t be bringing the same staff, announcing Tuesday that he will be parting ways with longtime offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. and two other assistants.
Carmichael, senior offensive assistant Bob Bignell and wide receivers coach Cody Burns will be replaced this offseason, the team announced a week after Allen told reporters he would return to his staff for a third time.
Dennis Allen announced that the team has parted ways with Offensive Coordinator Pete Carmichael, Senior Offensive Assistant Bob Bicknell, and Wide Receivers Coach Kodi Burns
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) January 16, 2024
Carmichael, 52, has served as New Orleans’ OC for the past 15 years, making him the longest-tenured assistant in his position.
He first joined the Saints in 2006 as Sean Payton’s quarterbacks coach before moving to tight ends coordinator the following year.
Along with Payton was 13-time Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Brees, who led a New Orleans offense that has won 11 straight, including 10 to start the season.
In 2023, with new QB Derek Carr under center, the Saints finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs for the third year in a row. One of the replacements is former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, who served as a consultant through 2023 and is expected to play a bigger role going forward.
Carmichael kept his position when Payton called it quits after the 2021 season and quarterback Dennis Allen became the coach. New Orleans fired offensive line assistant Bob Bicknell and receivers coach Kodi Burns on Tuesday.
“I would like to thank Pete, Bob and Cody for their service to the New Orleans Saints and the coaching staff,”
Allen said.
Carmichael, 52, joined then-coach Sean Payton’s staff in 2006 and worked with the team’s quarterbacks and passers for three seasons.
Carmichael has been New Orleans’ offensive coordinator since 2009, accompanying the transition from Payton to Allen as the team’s head coach.
The Saints (9-8) ranked 14th in total offense (337.2 yards per game average) and 21st in rushing (102.5) in 2023 and missed the playoffs in a tiebreaker with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the title NFC South division Yes.
New Orleans swept the Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons in back-to-back games and kept their playoff streak going until the Green Bay Packers defeated the Chicago Bears in Week 18 and eliminated the Saints. It wasn’t an easy decision, but the New Orleans Saints made it.
They fired offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael on Tuesday, letting go one of the last remaining players from the Super Bowl XLIV winning team.
By letting go of Carmichael (and assistant coaches like Kodi Burns and Bob Bicknell), they are sending the signal that Carmichael, not Derek Carr, has been in charge of the offense for the first three months.
So, finding an offensive coordinator will get more out of Carr while also improving the running game. Maybe it’s another staff member, like game coordinator Ronald Curry. Maybe someone who has worked with Carr before, like Jon Gruden.
If so, Allen will have to make do with a secondary like Ken Dorsey (former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator) or Jim Bob Cooter (Indianapolis Colts OC, who defers play calls to head Coach Shane Steichen).
It was the biggest hire in Allen’s three years as head coach. If Allen loses, the Saints won’t make the playoffs in 2024, and that’s it.
That wasn’t the case two years ago when the Saints hired Allen to compete in the playoffs. After hiring his own coaches, drafting his own players and securing his own quarterback, Allen has no excuses and no one to blame if he can’t lead this team to next year’s championship.
Fans reacted as follows:
This dumb fuck Dennis Allen is gonna hire Matt Patricia as his offensive coordinator
— THUMP (@THump) January 16, 2024
Probably will be the Broncos next offensive coordinator
— Philly Nation (@Philly__Nation) January 16, 2024
He’ll get a job soon. It’s not his fault
— BiggBreeze (@BigBreezy29) January 16, 2024
Making the most established coach the fall guy is a horrible move
— westsidephilosophy (@westsidephilos1) January 16, 2024
Changing the offensive coordinator after such a long time can definitely have a significant impact on the team's offensive strategy. It'll be interesting to see who the head coach, Dennis Allen, brings in as the new offensive coordinator and how they'll shape the team's offense…
— Preacher (@PHYSAYO23) January 16, 2024
Pete’s been here since 2006. The original 2006 SEAN PAYTON STAFF. Appreciate all your hard work Pete. You held it down in 2012 while Sean was suspended. I don’t think all the blame should be on Pete.. DA himself has been here on/off since 2006 as well. DA needs to be next..
— StressedSaintsFan😂 (@stressedwhodat) January 16, 2024
Hopefully Dennis Allen is next ✌🏼😆⚜️ #Firedennisallen
— Olivia Attalla (@cleopatra919) January 16, 2024
Hire John Gruden as HC & demote Dennis Allen back to defensive coordinator.
— Goldy-RiSA 🌺🥶 (@GoldyRiSA) January 16, 2024
All Loomis has to do is look at Dennis Allen's head coaching history. He is the WORSE head coach in the NFL. PERIOD!
Allen should remain as a defensive coordinator. That's what he's good at.— Cajun Constitution (@Perkulator57) January 16, 2024
Like throwing a rock in the ocean telling the world that it’s a big splash. No. DA has to go.
— Theodore 𝑻𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒚 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒓 Schiele (@Bear_Schiele) January 16, 2024
Former Raiders coach Jon Gruden met with the Saints about reuniting with Derek Carr on their coaching staff. There is mutual interest between both parties. pic.twitter.com/0NAPer2amH
— IG: NFLPreme (@premefootball) January 8, 2024
