NFC Notes: Justin Jefferson, Mickey Loomis, Kellen Moore, Saints, Vikings

Saints

Saints GM Mickey Loomis spoke about the team waiting to hire HC Kellen Moore since the Eagles continued winning games and eventually claimed another Super Bowl victory. 

“This was a comprehensive process,” Loomis said, via Pro Football Talk. “It took longer than we anticipated, simply because the Eagles kept winning, and that delayed our opportunity to make an informed decision. We appreciate their patience and cooperation with us during the process and we certainly congratulate the Philadelphia Eagles and Kellen on winning the Super Bowl right here in New Orleans.”

Loomis noted that the team did vet other candidates before settling on Moore.

“We had a number of excellent candidates for the job, and I believe every one of the finalists was qualified and will be head coaches in the future, I want to thank them for their interest, their efforts, and their patience throughout this process,” Loomis said. “Ultimately, we determined that Kellen is the best fit for our team, and his experience and success as a player, as a position coach, and as an offensive coordinator have prepared him well for this opportunity. And that was really evident in our interviews and our discussions. It’s very easy to get excited about the direction that he and his staff are going to take our team.”

Saints

Saints HC Kellen Moore said being a young head coach has its advantages, such as being more relatable to players.

“There will be certain players that are more closely associated with my age, and I think there’s tremendous value,” Moore said, via PFT.

Moore said he’s always been close with players dating back to his time with the Cowboys. He even shared a locker room with a lot of them.

“I’ve been in those shoes for a number of years now, being a 31-year-old offensive coordinator, that first time, half the guys in the room I was teammates with two years prior,” Moore said.

• Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Saints have hired former Cowboys assistant Chase Haslett as their TE coach. 

Vikings

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson was asked if he had any concerns about what quarterback would potentially be throwing him the ball when the 2025 season rolls around given that QB Sam Darnold could end up moving on in free agency.

“Luckily, that ain’t my decision,” Jefferson said, via Athlon Sports’ Doug Farrar. “I’m sitting back, and I’m waiting for all of these decisions to be made. I’m really just showing up and being myself and making the plays that I make. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what we’re going to do with Sam if we’re going to bring him back. Of course, J.J. is going to have his opportunity to make some plays and to see if he’s going to be the starter.”

“I’m not sure exactly what we’re going to do with Sam and the moves that we’re going to make, but I’m always confident in myself,” Jefferson added. “It don’t matter who’s going to be throwing the ball, I’m going to make a play for sure.”