Report: Fired Saints offensive coordinator to join Payton’s Broncos
Jan 30, 2024, 10:08 AM | Updated: 1:03 pm
The Denver Broncos are reportedly adding someone who used to be part of the New Orleans Saints organization.
That’s a sentence that is no longer shocking to read, as head coach Sean Payton has brought over plenty of old connections to his new job.
The latest addition appears to be fired Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael. Longtime New Orleans writer Jeff Duncan is reporting Carmichael will join Payton’s staff as a senior offensive assistant.
The NOLA-to-Denver pipeline continues….
Sean Payton's Broncos expected to hire former Saints OC Pete Carmichael. Here's his new role. https://t.co/47b1z9LicB via @nolanews
— Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) January 30, 2024
Carmichael was dismissed by the Saints earlier this month. He had been the offensive coordinator with the team since 2009. After Payton left New Orleans, Carmichael called plays for the first time during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Payton worked in television during that first one, and led the Broncos during the second.
Payton arrived in New Orleans as the head coach and 2006, and brought Carmichael with him. He started as the quarterbacks coach, eventually adding passing game coach to his title and then taking over the OC role.
The Saints had some historically good offenses with Payton and Carmichael collaborating together, and won the Super Bowl in February of 2010. Of course, it helps having future Hall of Famer Drew Brees at quarterback for the majority of those years.
This season, the Saints scored 402 points, which was ninth in the NFL. But apparently that wasn’t enough for Carmichael to keep his job, as head coach Dennis Allen fired most of his offensive staff earlier this month.
In Denver, it doesn’t sound like Payton will make many big staff changes, but rather additions. There are no indications offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi won’t be back, so Carmichael will likely be another offensive mind in the building.
The Broncos have not announced the hiring, but Duncan is close with Payton. This is almost assuredly happening, as the offseason news starts to heat up.
