The New Orleans Saints aren't the only team that'll be considering Darren Rizzi for a head coaching job going into next season.
The New York Jets have officially requested an interview with the Saints interim head coach, according to reports. That means the New Jersey native will have a shot at taking over a team just minutes away from where he grew up.
Rizzi will also be interviewed for the Saints head coaching job, something he expects will happen next week after the team goes through their evaluations of players and personnel in the 2024 season.
"I’ll get a chance to probably step back here for a couple days and kind of reflect on everything," Rizzi said, "and kind of reassess on some things that we would change moving forward and pros and cons and what went on here the last 9 weeks."
Rizzi took over for the Saints in Week 10 after the firing of Dennis Allen, leading a reinvigorated locker room to wins in three of his first four games in charge before three straight losses to close out the season. The interim tag is why Rizzi can be interviewed for other jobs in the first place, as it would be a promotion. In most instances coaches would be barred from interviewing with other teams for what would be considered lateral moves.
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Rizzi did interview for the Saints head coach opening in 2022, a job that went to Allen. The Saints are expected to cast a wide net in their coaching search, having already been linked to a host of options they're planning to interview, including Lions DC Aaron Glenn, Eagles OC Kellen Moore, Bills OC Joe Brady and former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, among others.
The Saints are expected to be methodical in their head coaching search, whereas the Jets have moved much more quickly after firing Robert Saleh earlier this season. They have already completed a head coaching interview with former Jets head coach Rex Ryan, and have reportedly requested interviews with 10 others, according to reports.
NFL rules prohibit in-person interviews with coaches currently employed on other rosters until January 20th, but virtual interviews can be conducted beginning this week for teams eliminated from the postseason, as well as coaches for the Lions and Chiefs, both of which earned a first-round bye.
Rizzi said his hope in the coaching search is that any teams would evaluate him on the "whole body of work" and the positive changes made after he took over, such as an emphasis on player health that limited soft tissue injuries that plagued the Saints over the first half of the season, as well as the general buy-in from the roster despite the team struggling to its worst overall record since 2005.
"I think that I could sit here very confidently and say that ... pretty clear that I’m a good leader, whether you like me as a coach or not, that’s your opinion. You’re entitled to that," Rizzi said. "but one of the things I think I’m very, very strong in is leadership and communication and relationships and I think there’s not a more important trio than those three when you coach, because coaching is about teaching."