New Orleans Saints assistant coach, Joe Vitt to take over role of interim head coach in 2012-13 season - NFL News
After retired head coach, Bill Parcells announced that he will remain in retirement the New Orleans Saints have turned to an internal solution for head coaching role.
Assistant coach, Joe Vitt will take over duties of interim head coach for the Saints by Monday, according to general manager, Mickey Loomis.
Vitt will continue to perform the role for the 2012-13 season after completing his six-game suspension with the Saints yet to decide which of their coordinators will take over the role during his suspension.
Offensive line coach, Aaron Kromer is the front runner to lead the Saints during Vitt’s absence.
Loomis said in a statement released on Thursday that they want to continue the philosophy of head coach, Sean Payton who will be suspended for the entirety of the new season.
"It is important that we keep Sean Payton's philosophy front and center during this season. Sean has been the driving force behind the tremendous success our team has enjoyed during the past six years, but we need to set a course of action that gives us
the best chance to win this season without our head coach.”
Payton received a year’s suspension for his role in the Saints bounty scandal from the National Football League (NFL) and is not allowed to maintain any contact with the team during the entirety of his absence from the team.
Loomis will also miss the first eight games of the season.
The general manager added further in his statement that Vitt will run the training camp ahead of the start of the new season.
"We will work through the offseason under this plan and when we get to training camp we will decide on a course of action for the first six weeks of the season, while Joe Vitt is unavailable,"
The Saints bounty scandal has put the team’s preparations for the new season in jeopardy as the NFL released a string of hefty fines and suspensions to the franchise’s coaching staff for aiding and abetting the bounty program.
The league is yet to announce the punishments that will be handed down to the 22 to 27 players alleged to have received money for injuring opponents but it is likely that more fines and suspensions are on their way.
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