The tables have turned.
It was less than two weeks ago that Kellen Moore was considered the overwhelming favorite to land the Dallas Cowboys' head coaching job. It seemed like a foregone conclusion that Moore would win the sweepstakes, but Brian Schottenheimer swept Dallas off its feet in his first interview and the rest is history.
While hiring Schotteneheimer was met with widespread vitriol, the Schotty Era is actually off to a promising start as the Cowboys work to round out their coaching staff.
They've made a number of savvy hires, including Matt Eberflus as defensive coordinator and Aaron Whitecotton as defensive line coach.
Moore tried and failed at landing the Cowboys and Jaguars job. Both teams would have been excellent landing spots for the 35-year-old, but he seems to be on the verge of extracting the ultimate revenge on Mike McCarthy.
Cowboys coaching candidate Kellen Moore likely getting Saints head coaching job
Accordign to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis told other candidates he will continue talks with Moore. Pelissero added that Moore has been working behind the scenes to assemble his staff in the event he gets the job.
While the Saints have not made a final decision, Pelissero's reporting strongly hints New Orleans is just waiting until after the Super Bowl to formalize things.
Moore was the last of the three finalists (Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver and Giants OC Mike Kafka are the others) to have his second interview and Loomis has not interviewed anyone since. The 35-year-old is expected to meet with the Saints for a third time. The writing is on the wall.
Assuming Moore gets the job, it would be a risky decision. While coordinators have learned to strike while the iron is hot as far as taking HC jobs, the Saints are not a desirable destination as they are projected to be some $55 million over the cap once the NFL finalizes its 2025 cap figure.
Quarterback Derek Carr has a $51.4 million cap hit and has already stated he's not taking a pay cut. Furthermore, veterans Cameron Jordan, Tyrann Mathieu, Demario Davis and Taysom Hill all have cap hits ranging from $10 million to $20 million.
The Saints are about to pay the piper for continually restructuring aging players and committing significant money (overpaying, if we're being honest) a middling QB.
That's not new information, however. Moore is fully aware of New Orleans' situation. It stands to reason that he and Loomis have discussed plan to get on the other side of this cap disaster. It won't be an easy fix, but Moore seems to be on board with coaching through it.
The fact of the matter is that McCarthy absolutely wanted the job, but pulled out before ever interviewing with the Saints; perhaps signifying he knew he wouldn't get it.
McCarthy may be better off in the long run depending on what coaching job he gets in 2026 (if he gets one), but for right now this is a win for Moore, who finally gets a head coaching job after garnering interest the last few hiring cycles.
