It was reported last Saturday that LSU Tigers passing game coordinator Joe Brady was being considered for a position with the Carolina Panthers under first-year head coach Matt Rhule, which Brady sternly denied during a media day press conference ahead of Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers.
However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday that Brady plans to leave the college ranks and return to the NFL following LSU’s dominant win. He’ll reportedly be joining Rhule’s staff after all.
This is significant for two reasons, mainly that Brady was a member of the New Orleans Saints staff just a year ago as an offense assistant. It was his first major coaching gig as a 30-year-old who had previously worked at William & Mary, with a graduate assistant stop at Penn State in-between. The Athletic’s Jordan Rodrigue confirmed that Brady will work on Rhuse’s staff as offensive coordinator, making him the youngest coach at that level in the league.
The other significance to this move is that the Saints will play the Panthers twice a year as NFC South rivals. That means trouble if Brady is able to successfully import the crafty play designs and intelligent tendencies he installed at LSU. At least Payton and his staff know him well, and will be better-prepared than most to plan against him.
