NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Saints named Klint Kubiak as their offensive coordinator on Wednesday, marking a new direction for a unit that has been overseen by either former coach Sean Payton or his protege, Pete Carmichael Jr., since 2006.
The 36-year-old Kubiak was the passing game coordinator for the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers last season, and his hiring could not be formalized until after the Niners played in Sunday’s Super Bowl, which they lost in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs, 25-22.
San Francisco had one of the NFL’s most productive offenses in 2023, averaging 28.9 points and 398.4 yards per game. The Niners ranked fourth in yards passing at 257.9.
Kubiak’s father, Gary Kubiak, spent more than two decades as an NFL coach or assistant after a playing career in which he served as Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway’s backup in Denver. Gary Kubiak won a Super Bowl as coach of the 2015 Broncos.
The younger Kubiak has served two previous short stints as an offensive coordinator, with Minnesota and Denver. His first such stint with the Vikings came in 2021, which ended with then-coach Mike Zimmer being fired.
Kubiak also called plays in Denver for the latter half of the 2022 season, during which the Broncos went 5-12. Nathaniel Hackett started that season as Denver’s coach but was fired after 15 games, and Kubiak was on the move again when that season ended.
In San Francisco, he worked with coach Kyle Shanahan, whose offenses have ranked seventh or better in four of the past five seasons.
In New Orleans, Kubiak will answer to coach Dennis Allen, a former defensive coordinator who continues to call the Saints’ defense. Kubiak’s quarterback will be
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