The New Orleans Saints have officially appointed Klint Kubiak to the role of offensive coordinator, a move that signals a shift from the long-standing tradition established by the previous coach Sean Payton and his close associate Pete Carmichael Jr., who have been at the helm since 2006.
Kubiak, who is 36 years old, previously held the position of passing game coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, who were the NFC champions last season. His contractual obligations with the 49ers concluded only after their Super Bowl appearance on Sunday, which ended in a defeat by the Kansas City Chiefs, with a final score of 25-22 in overtime.
During the 2023 NFL season, the 49ers boasted a high-ranking offense, with an average of 28.9 points and 398.4 yards each game. They were especially strong in the passing game, ranking fourth with 257.9 yards passing per game.
Klint is the son of Gary Kubiak, who has an extensive NFL coaching and assistant coaching career behind him, following a stint as a player where he was quarterback John Elway’s backup in Denver. Gary Kubiak has the accolade of Super Bowl coach for the Broncos in their victorious 2015 campaign.
The younger Kubiak has had experience as an offensive coordinator in the NFL previously, with engagements in Minnesota and Denver. His initial time leading the Vikings’ offense in 2021 coincided with the termination of head coach Mike Zimmer’s contract.
Later, Klint took over the play-calling duties in Denver for the second half of the 2022 season, which saw the Broncos finish with a record of 5-12. Nathaniel Hackett, who began the season as Denver’s head coach, was dismissed before the end of the season, leading Kubiak to seek new opportunities following the conclusion of the season.
While at San Francisco, Kubiak worked alongside coach Kyle Shanahan, known for his formidable offenses which have consistently ranked in the top seven in four of the last five years.
As he joins the Saints, Kubiak will collaborate with coach Dennis Allen, a defensive specialist who also manages the team’s defensive strategies. Kubiak will have Derek Carr as his quarterback, who despite facing injuries earlier on, showcased a strong performance towards the end of the 2023 season, as the Saints wrapped it up with a 9-8 record, narrowly missing the playoffs.
“Klint has a solid track record in various capacities throughout his 10-year NFL career, including significant experience in play-calling,” said Coach Allen in a statement. “He’s demonstrated his ability to foster progress in players, particularly quarterbacks.”
The Saints’ offense last season ranked ninth in points scored per game at 23.6 and 14th in yards per game at 337.2. They also matched the sixth-lowest total for offensive turnovers with 18. Yet, the team faced difficulties in pivotal moments throughout the first 12 games, particularly after bringing in Carr. They were positioned 18th in the league for converting red zone chances into touchdowns, with a 53.3% success rate, even dipping to the bottom third of the league in that statistic for a significant portion of the season. Their record of seven losses by a margin less than 10 points highlighted the struggle.
Since the retirement of franchise-leading passer Drew Brees after the 2020 season, the Saints have not entered the playoffs. Now, there’s optimism that Kubiak’s new offensive strategy will synergize with Allen’s defense, which has recorded strong rankings in the past five seasons.
Kubiak embarked on his coaching career as a graduate assistant in 2010 at Texas A&M, an alma mater also shared by his father and Dennis Allen. He initially picked up an NFL job with the Vikings in 2013 as an offensive quality control coach. After a brief time coaching receivers at the University of Kansas in 2015, he rejoined the professional ranks on his father’s Broncos staff in 2016, before moving to Minnesota with Zimmer in 2019.
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FAQ Section
Who is Klint Kubiak?
Kubiak is a football coach who has just been appointed as the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints.
What is Klint Kubiak known for?
Kubiak is recognized for his play-calling experience and his role in the development of players’ careers, especially quarterbacks.
What challenges will Kubiak face as the Saints’ offensive coordinator?
He will need to address stagnation in critical situations, improve the red zone conversion rate, and generally uplift the offensive to complement the Saints’ strong defense.
How did the Saints perform offensively in the previous season?
They ranked ninth in scoring and 14th in yards per game, with a notably low number of offensive turnovers.
Conclusion
In appointing Klint Kubiak as their offensive coordinator, the New Orleans Saints anticipate initiating a new era of offensive strategy that aligns with their established defensive prowess. Kubiak’s prior NFL experience and his recent contribution to the success of the 49ers’ passing game provide a hopeful outlook for the Saints, as they strive to return to playoff contention in the seasons to come.
