Kellen Moore is adding one of his mentors to his coaching staff.
The New Orleans Saints are in the process of hiring Scott Linehan, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed. Linehan, an offensive analyst for the University of Montana, was Moore's offensive coordinator with the Detroit Lions when the former Boise State quarterback began his career in the NFL. He then played a role in bringing Moore to Dallas as a player and then as a coach when Moore eventually hung up his cleats at 28 years old.
Linehan could serve as a senior offensive analyst with a speciality in game management, a source said, but his title and role are still being determined.
Linehan, 61, hasn't been in the NFL since 2018 when he was the Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator. That year, Moore broke into the coaching profession when he became Dallas' quarterbacks coach. Moore then replaced Linehan a year later as offensive coordinator.
"Scott meant a lot to me," Moore said last month in the week leading up to the Super Bowl.
When Moore suffered a season-ending ankle injury in 2016, Linehan and coach Jason Garrett allowed Moore to assist then-rookie Dak Prescott and sit in on meetings to help with the gameplan. That allowed Moore to see "the game from the other side of it," Moore said.
Since exiting the NFL, Linehan had been in the college ranks. He served as LSU's pass game coordinator in 2020, spent the next three years with Missouri and joined Montana in 2024.
Now, he gets to jump to the big leagues once again. Linehan also gaves Moore another former head coach to lean on during his first year. Linehan coached the St. Louis Rams from 2006-2008.
Linehan joins Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley to have previous head coaching experience on Moore's staff.