Report: Saints hiring former SEC star, assistant coach to offensive staff

The Saints are looking toward the SEC to fill out their coaching staff. According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, New Orleans is hiring Tennessee wide receivers coach Kodi Burns as their next wide receivers coach.

“Sources: University of Tennessee WR coach Kodi Burns has accepted the New Orleans Saints wide receivers job,” tweeted Thamel. “Burns is a former Auburn player who has also coached at Middle Tennessee, Arizona State and Auburn.”

As Thamel mentions, Burns has an impressive football resume. The former Auburn star had an impressive playing career with the Tigers, playing both quarterback and wide receiver, and helping the team win the BCS National Championship in 2011. Afterwards, Burns was brought into coaching by his former coach, Gus Malzahn.

After beginning his career at Arkansas State and following Malzahn to Auburn as a graduate assistant, Burns left the SEC for Samford in 2014. Then, he had a stop at Middle Tennessee in 2015 prior to returning to the Tigers in 2016. Then, after Malzahn was let-go by the program, Burns took his talents to Tennessee, coaching the Volunteers in 2021.

While Kodi Burns never got a chance in the NFL as a player, the former Auburn star is getting one as a coach. In Dennis Allen’s first season as the coach of the Saints, Burns will look to make an impact for New Orleans.

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Now, Kodi Burns will join new Saints head coach Dennis Allen in New Orleans. Allen brings 20 years of NFL experience to the job, including the past seven seasons with the Saints. He was also a defensive line and secondary coach in New Orleans from 2006-10.

This isn’t his first chance at a head coaching gig, as he was previously the Oakland Raiders head man from 2012-14. He compiled a 8-28 record before being fired after an 0-4 start to the 2014 season.

A Texas A&M alumnus, Allen served as a graduate assistant with the Aggies from 1996-99. He entered the NFL in 2002 as a defensive quality control coordinator with the Atlanta Falcons and has also served on the Denver Broncos coaching staff as defensive coordinator.

Allen has big shoes to fill as the Saints next head coach. Sean Payton finished with a 152-89 record in his 15 seasons in New Orleans. He helped lead the franchise to its first-ever Super Bowl victory in 2010.

The Saints finished this past season 9-8, narrowly missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016. They have the No. 18 pick in the upcoming NFL draft, set to begin April 28.