METAIRIE, La. — According to sources, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore has accepted the head coaching position with the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints confirmed this transition just two days after Moore led the Eagles to victory in Super Bowl LIX, held in New Orleans. While Moore initially returned home with the team, he will soon return to finalize the hiring.

The Eagles triumphed over the Kansas City Chiefs with a score of 40-22, and quarterback Jalen Hurts was awarded the Super Bowl MVP title. Immediately following the win, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni humorously urged Moore to stay with the team for another season.

“Let’s run this back, Kellen,” Sirianni joked.

At 36 years old, Moore decided to pursue his goal of becoming a head coach after one productive season in Philadelphia. The Eagles recorded an impressive average of 27.2 points per game during the regular season, ranking 7th in the NFL, and dominated the postseason with 36.3 points per game, leading the league.

Sources indicate that former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, who was an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers last season, is a prime candidate for the position of defensive coordinator under Moore in New Orleans. Previously, Moore served as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator in 2023.

Enhancing the Saints’ defense will be a top priority for Moore and his future defensive coordinator, especially considering the team allowed the third-highest yards per game last season, at 379.9.

Meanwhile, the Eagles seek their third offensive coordinator in just three years. Moore takes over after Brian Johnson’s departure following the 2023 season; Johnson previously replaced Shane Steichen, who was hired as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts after the 2022 season.

The Saints were the final team to fill their head coaching role and had to wait until after the Super Bowl to officially announce Moore’s hiring, in accordance with NFL regulations.

In contrast, teams like the New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, and others wrapped up their coaching searches prior to the Super Bowl.

The Saints were willing to take their time with Moore, even flying to Philadelphia for an interview following the NFC Championship Game two weeks ago.

Moore was one of four candidates to meet in person with the Saints, who also interviewed New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, and Darren Rizzi, the Saints’ special teams coordinator who served as interim head coach after the firing of Dennis Allen on November 4.

Moore’s appointment marks the first time since Sean Payton’s departure after the 2021 season that the Saints have hired a head coach from outside the organization. Following a brief search, they promoted Allen from within the team after he was the defensive coordinator, with candidates interviewing only once.

This hiring also represents a shift from Allen, who was 50 at the time of his appointment and has prior head coaching experience. Moore will be among the league’s youngest head coaches and brings an offensive background, reminiscent of Payton’s hiring back in 2006, when he joined the Saints after three seasons as the Giants’ offensive coordinator.

Moore previously played quarterback at Boise State from 2007-2011 and had stints in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and Cowboys.

His coaching journey in the NFL began after he retired following the 2017 season. Starting as the Cowboys’ quarterbacks coach in 2017, he moved up to offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2022. Most recently, he held the same role with the Eagles this season after a year as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator.

Throughout his coaching tenure, Moore’s offenses have consistently ranked among the best, placing fifth in points per game (26.4) and yards per game (376.5) since 2019. His quarterbacks maintained a Total QBR of 62.1, also fifth in the league during this period, as per ESPN Research.