Chargers' Michael Wilhoite interviews for Saints DC job

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Chargers LBs coach Michael Wilhoite interviews for Saints DC job

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 2/15/22

When Sean Payton recently stepped away from his head-coaching gig with the New Orleans Saints, it set in motion a chain reaction that ultimately led to the team's former defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen, earning the job at the helm. Now, New Orleans is scouring the NFL to find Allen's replacement.

According to multiple reports, the newest candidate is a guy who was working with the Saints as recently as two years ago.

Chargers’ LB coach Michael Wilhoite interviewed for the Saints’ defensive coordinator job, per source. Wilhoite was an assistant coach in New Orleans from 2019-2020, and the organization likes him.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 15, 2022

Prior to becoming a coach, Wilhoite played 79 regular-season games in the NFL from 2012 to 2017. Wilhoite appeared in 65 regular-season and six postseason contests with the San Francisco 49ers through the 2016 campaign before suiting up for 14 games with the Seattle Seahawks in 2017.

In 2014, the linebacker set career-highs in tackles (87), passes defended (six), quarterback hits (three) and interceptions (two). The 35-year-old earned his first coaching job when he was hired by New Orleans as a special teams assistant in 2019.

Wilhoite stayed in that role for one season, before serving as a defensive assistant in 2020 and spending last year as the Chargers linebackers coach.

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