New Orleans Saints Former Coaches Reunited With Jaguars

Two of the Saints former high-profile coaches reunite in Jacksonville, per reports.

Former New Orleans Saints assistant coaches are reunited, per sources. NFL Insider Aaron Wilson reports that the Jacksonville Jaguars are hiring ex-Saints defensive assistant Kris Richard. This comes just a day after the Jaguars hired former New Orleans defensive assistant Ryan Nielsen as their new defensive coordinator. 

Jacksonville ranked 22nd in total defense last season. They were 17th in points allowed, ninth against the run, and a lowly 26th against the pass. The Jaguars gave up 28 or more points in four of their last six games, losing five of six contests to narrowly miss the playoffs. 

Richard and Nielsen were defensive coaches on the New Orleans staff for two years, in 2021 and 2022. They were co-coordinators for the defense in Dennis Allen's first year as head coach with the team in 2022. Nielsen was defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons last season. Richard was out of football last year. The two were also collegiate teammates at USC from 1998 to 2001.

Nielsen, 44, got his first NFL coaching position with the Saints in 2017. He was the team's defensive line coach from 2017 to 2021 under coordinator Dennis Allen and head coach Sean Payton. He was promoted to co-defensive coordinator upon Payton's resignation and Allen's promotion to head coach. Atlanta's defense ranked 11th in total yardage, 18th in points allowed, and eighth against the pass under Nielsen last season. 

Nov 17, 2019; New Orleans Saints defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY

Richard, 45, was hired by New Orleans as a defensive backs coach in 2021 and promoted to co-defensive coordinator with Nielsen in 2022. Prior to joining the Saints, he was defensive backs coach for the Dallas Cowboys for two seasons. He had been a defensive assistant with the Seattle Seahawks for eight seasons before that, including defensive coordinator from 2015 to 2017.

With Nielsen and Richard as co-coordinators, the Saints ranked fifth in total defense in 2022. They were ninth in points allowed, second against the pass, and 24th against the run. New Orleans recorded 48 sacks that season, among the most in the league, but forced only 14 turnovers and intercepted seven passes, 30th in the NFL.

After parting ways with Nielsen and Richard, the Saints hired Joe Woods as defensive coordinator, Todd Grantham as defensive line coach, and Marcus Robertson to coach the secondary. New Orleans ranked 13th in total defense and eighth in points allowed. They were 10th against the pass and 22nd against the run. The Saints forced 29 turnovers, fourth in the NFL, with their 18 interceptions ranking third. However, only three teams had fewer than the 34 sacks that New Orleans managed this season.