Sometimes, the best decisions are the ones you don’t see coming. That’s exactly the sentiment Fox Sports Radio host Jason Smith shared when analyzing the New Orleans Saints’ decision to hire Kellen Moore as their new head coach. What initially looked like a scramble to fill a vacancy following a forgettable 2024 campaign might now be one of the more underrated hires of the NFL offseason.
According to Smith, the Saints may have stumbled into a franchise-altering move:
“Sometimes you accidentally hit a home run, and that’s kind of what the Saints did here… Kellen Moore has made offenses work no matter the quarterback, the running game, no matter the personnel.”
Let’s unpack why Smith might be on to something and why Saints fans should be cautiously optimistic heading into 2025.
A Coach With Proven Offensive Credentials
When you really dig into it, Kellen Moore’s resume paints the picture of a coordinator who consistently produces results. Under Moore’s guidance, the Dallas Cowboys fielded top-10 offenses in multiple seasons with Dak Prescott at quarterback and a skill group that lacked consistency in the run game. He then went to Philadelphia, serving as the offensive coordinator for a team that, with Moore calling the shots, won the Super Bowl in 2024. This wasn’t just a team loaded with star power — it was a scheme that worked around its pieces. Smith emphasized that Moore’s success wasn’t dependent on one system or one set of players.
“He did it here with one set of talent with the Dallas Cowboys. He did it here with the Eagles and won the Super Bowl.”
This ability to adapt separates Moore from some of the more trendy coordinator names — including Chicago’s Ben Johnson, who, as Smith points out, has yet to prove he can recreate his success without Detroit’s specific infrastructure.
A Hire Born Out of Necessity — But Not Regret
Honestly, Kellen Moore wasn’t the Saints’ first option. After firing Dennis Allen during the 2024 season, New Orleans explored various avenues for a fresh start. However, with limited leverage and a cloudy quarterback situation following Derek Carr’s abrupt retirement, the Saints didn’t exactly represent a dream destination. When Moore was eventually hired, some pundits viewed it as a settling. But Smith sees it differently.
“They waited and could not get anybody else… It’s like an accidental home-run hire for the Saints.”
It’s the scenario that feels familiar in sports. A team misses out on its top choices, pivots late, and somehow lands the perfect fit. And when you examine the Saints’ roster and recent changes, Moore might be uniquely suited to lead this rebuild.
Why the Fit Works in New Orleans
Moore brings something the Saints have lacked for years: offensive innovation. Since Drew Brees retired, New Orleans has been neutral, cycling through quarterbacks and head coaches without a real identity. That’s already starting to change in Moore’s short tenure.
At training camp, players have praised the tempo and organization of Moore’s practices. His offense emphasizes pace, adaptability, and situational flexibility — all things the Saints desperately need as they sort through their quarterback battle between Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler. Both players are unproven but offer traits Moore can mold, much like he did with Prescott and Hurts.
Additionally, Moore inherits key playmakers in Chris Olave, Alvin Kamara, and Rashid Shaheed. While the Saints’ roster has holes — particularly on the offensive line and in defensive depth — it’s not devoid of talent. If Moore can do what he’s done before, build around his best players, and minimize weaknesses, this team could be more competitive than the dire projections suggest.
The Long-Term Upside
Let’s not sugarcoat it: the Saints are projected by many, including Pro Football & Sports Network, to be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season. Their projected win total is under six. Their playoff odds are almost non-existent.
But that’s what makes this hire so interesting.
Moore doesn’t need to take the Saints to the playoffs in Year 1. He must show signs of life to prove he can develop a young quarterback, establish a system, and bring modern football back to New Orleans. If he succeeds, this so-called “accidental hire” might become the foundation of the Saints’ next competitive era.
“I feel pretty [confident] that this guy knows how to build an offense and work around the talent that he has,” Smith concluded. It’s early, but if Smith is right and Moore’s track record holds, New Orleans might have finally struck gold, even if it wasn’t how they drew it up.
Hiring Kellen Moore might not have made national headlines when it happened. It didn’t come with buzzwords like “splash hire” or “blockbuster signing.” But sometimes, the right coach falls into your lap at the right time.
Jason Smith’s analysis frames Moore as a quiet win that Saints fans might fully appreciate a few years from now when the offense hums, the quarterback play stabilizes, and the team has direction.
Until then, all eyes will be on Moore to prove Smith right — and prove that this accidental home run was no fluke.
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