Report: Saints to hire 49ers’ top coach as OC after Super Bowl
The Steelers get Arthur Smith. The Saints get Klint Kubiak.
Per a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero earlier today, the New Orleans Saints are set to hire San Francisco 49ers’ passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak as their next offensive coordinator. The move will occur after Kubiak and the 49ers’ upcoming appearance in Super Bowl LVIII.
Entering the NFL as an offensive assistant in 2013, Kubiak has spent time with the Broncos and Vikings before landing with the 49ers for the 2023 season. He’s helped coach effective offenses with players such as Brock Purdy, Kirk Cousins, and Justin Jefferson, but he’s also seen offensive struggles, especially in Denver when he worked with quarterbacks such as Russell Wilson, Case Keenum, and Trevor Siemian.
Kubiak, the son of former NFL coach Gary Kubiak, was a very popular name among Steelers fans as Pittsburgh searched for a new offensive coordinator during the 2024 offseason. However, the Steelers never showed interest in Kubiak and ended up hiring former Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator and Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith earlier this month.
In fact, the first reports that Kubiak and the Saints were working on a contract occurred the same day the Steelers made the Arthur Smith hire official.
With the Saints, Kubiak’s situation looks somewhat better than it would be with the Steelers, as New Orleans’ offense ranked significantly higher than Pittsburgh’s in terms of yards and points last season. However, Kubiak’s Saints and Smith’s Steelers will be an interesting comparison to watch in 2024 and beyond as fans look to see which coordinator was the better hire.
