Saints Fire Run Game Coordinator T.J. Paganetti After 18-Yard Rushing Day in Paris
Kellen Moore made his first major staff change coming out of the bye, moving on from the coach who helped build New Orleans' struggling run game
The Saints used their bye week to make a change on offense. New Orleans has fired run game coordinator T.J. Paganetti, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Monday, after a season in which the rushing attack has been one of the team's biggest problems.
The Saints ran 17 times for 18 yards in a 16-10 loss to the Steelers in Paris, their worst day on the ground since an 11-yard game in 1999, according to ESPN's Katherine Terrell. Kellen Moore promised afterward that the team would "evaluate everything" during its self-scout week, and this is the first result.
Coming off the bye, the #Saints made a significant change, moving on from run game coordinator T. J. Paganetti, sources say. Run-game issues have plagued the team this year.View on X →
Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet): Coming off the bye, the #Saints made a significant change, moving on from run game coordinator T. J. Paganetti, sources say. Run-game issues have plagued the team this year.
Paganetti had a big hand in the weekly plan. Moore said during the bye that Paganetti and offensive line coach Brendan Nugent did much of the pregame prep work on the run game, with Moore also involved, as part of a collaborative setup he's used since his days in Dallas, Los Angeles and Philadelphia.
It's the first major change Moore has made to his staff since he was hired before last season. He kept most of the coaching staff together after a 6-11 finish in 2025, a year in which the Saints started 1-8 and then won four of their last five after switching to Tyler Shough at quarterback.
This year hasn't gone the same way. New Orleans is 2-5 and in last place in the NFC South, and the problems go beyond the offense: the Saints have allowed at least 100 rushing yards in every game but one and have had their share of missed kicks. Whoever takes over the run-game duties gets his first test when the Saints host the Browns on Nov. 8.