The New Orleans Saints added another piece to their new special teams coaching staff, per Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune. After hiring a new special teams coordinator in Darren Rizzi and an assistant in Phil Galiano, they brought in former NFL linebacker Michael Wilhoite. Wilhoite spent six years in the NFL, mostly with the San Francisco 49ers, and made a name for himself through impressive coverage on punts and kickoffs.
Wilhoite spent the 2017 season with the Seattle Seahawks and tried to continue playing in 2018, but struggled to land with a team. The 49ers put him through a free agent workout in November but didn’t sign him, so he hung up his cleats and is now beginning his coaching career.
The Saints have added other talented coaches in similar situations. Defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn has been considered for multiple openings as a defensive coordinator after joining the Saints once his playing days were behind him. Tight ends coach Dan Campbell, a head coaching candidate in the 2018 hiring cycle, also played for the Saints in the late 2000’s. If Wilhoite is on a similar career path to those two, the Saints could have another good one on their hands.
