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Saints Interview Sherman, Martz for Coaching Job
New Orleans Finished 3-13 in Fired Haslett's Final Season
METAIRIE, La. (Jan. 13) - The New Orleans Saints finished a two-day interview with former Packers coach Mike Sherman on Friday, then began two days of interviews with former Rams coach Mike Martz.
Sherman is familiar with New Orleans from two years (1983-84) as offensive line coach at Tulane - part of 16 years spent as a college assistant before becoming the Packers' tight ends-assistant offensive line coach in 1997.
"That was my first big job and I know people down here," Sherman said. "When I was a college coach for a number of years, I used to recruit Louisiana. I know the type of people that live here, good people. I find it to be a very attractive job."
Sherman was fired this month after Green Bay finished 4-12, its only losing record in six seasons under him. Overall, he was 57-39 and took the Packers to the playoffs each year from 2001-04, the last three as NFC North champions. He went 2-4 in the postseason.
The Saints were the first team to interview Sherman, who said he still wants to be a head coach.
New Orleans is seeking a replacement for Jim Haslett, whose tenure also lasted six years and bottomed out in 2005. The Saints had a .500 record overall during Haslett's first five years before finishing 3-13 this season.
"You do everything you can to try to win football games, but I just think there comes a point where collectively as an organization you just work toward getting a winning product on the field and being accountable and honest about that product," Sherman said. "When something's not right, you try to fix it."
Martz, fired after the Rams finished 6-10, was the fifth candidate to interview since the search began in earnest on Monday. St. Louis was 2-3 when Martz was sidelined for the final 11 games because of a heart infection. He took the Rams to the playoffs four times in his six seasons.
The team has also interviewed Jets defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson, Browns offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon and Cowboys assistant head coach Sean Payton.
The Saints also have contacted Fresno State coach Pat Hill, who has interviewed with the Texans and the Rams, and have shown interest in Steelers offensive line coach Russ Grimm, who has been busy preparing for Pittsburgh's AFC divisional playoff game at Indianapolis on Sunday.
01/13/06 17:11 EST
New Orleans Finished 3-13 in Fired Haslett's Final Season
METAIRIE, La. (Jan. 13) - The New Orleans Saints finished a two-day interview with former Packers coach Mike Sherman on Friday, then began two days of interviews with former Rams coach Mike Martz.
Sherman is familiar with New Orleans from two years (1983-84) as offensive line coach at Tulane - part of 16 years spent as a college assistant before becoming the Packers' tight ends-assistant offensive line coach in 1997.
"That was my first big job and I know people down here," Sherman said. "When I was a college coach for a number of years, I used to recruit Louisiana. I know the type of people that live here, good people. I find it to be a very attractive job."
Sherman was fired this month after Green Bay finished 4-12, its only losing record in six seasons under him. Overall, he was 57-39 and took the Packers to the playoffs each year from 2001-04, the last three as NFC North champions. He went 2-4 in the postseason.
The Saints were the first team to interview Sherman, who said he still wants to be a head coach.
New Orleans is seeking a replacement for Jim Haslett, whose tenure also lasted six years and bottomed out in 2005. The Saints had a .500 record overall during Haslett's first five years before finishing 3-13 this season.
"You do everything you can to try to win football games, but I just think there comes a point where collectively as an organization you just work toward getting a winning product on the field and being accountable and honest about that product," Sherman said. "When something's not right, you try to fix it."
Martz, fired after the Rams finished 6-10, was the fifth candidate to interview since the search began in earnest on Monday. St. Louis was 2-3 when Martz was sidelined for the final 11 games because of a heart infection. He took the Rams to the playoffs four times in his six seasons.
The team has also interviewed Jets defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson, Browns offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon and Cowboys assistant head coach Sean Payton.
The Saints also have contacted Fresno State coach Pat Hill, who has interviewed with the Texans and the Rams, and have shown interest in Steelers offensive line coach Russ Grimm, who has been busy preparing for Pittsburgh's AFC divisional playoff game at Indianapolis on Sunday.
01/13/06 17:11 EST
Talk about making a bad situation worse!
