Saints Announce Three Defensive Coaches

Known for weeks but unannounced until Tuesday, the Saints have hired a new defensive coordinator - former Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo, and two other defensive assistants who coached with him in St. Louis.




With the loss of defensive coordinator Gregg Williams to Tennessee, the Saints moved quickly to snap up the highly-coveted Spagnuolo, who received a job offer from his former team the Eagles and interest from several other teams.

The Saints also added Ken Flajole to replace defensive backs coach Tony Oden, and Andre Curtis as assistant secondary coach.

Spagnuolo was the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants for two seasons in  2007-2008, including their Super Bowl XLII victory over the Patriots.

He was fired by the Rams on January 2 following a dismal, injury-ridden third season with the Rams, who finished 2-14.  One of Spagnuolo's two wins of course came against the Saints on October 30, the Rams' only home win of the year.  His defense shut out the Saints in the first half.

Flajole coached with Spagnuolo in St. Louis, where he was the Rams' defensive coordinator.  Previously, he was the linebackers coach in Carolina, where he coached in Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Patriots.

Curtis was the defensive backs coach for Spagnuolo under Flajole and Spagnuolo, and previously coached with Spagnuolo in New York.

The Saints still have an opening on the staff at wide receivers coach, where they have yet to replace Curtis Johnson, who left the team for the head coaching job at Tulane University.