NEW ORLEANS — In the type of move that LSU fans probably feared, but didn't necessarily expect after he recently agreed to a new deal, passing game coordinator Joe Brady is going to be moving back to the NFL as offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, according to numerous reports.
Brady, 30, will become one of the youngest coordinators the NFL has seen.
Reports from ESPN's Schefter and Field Yates and the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport come just days after reports that Brady, credited with a large role in LSU's juggernaut offense in 2019, had agreed to a new deal with LSU for a significant raise.
He will be going to the Saints NFC South rival, the Carolina Panthers. He had been an offensive assistant with the Saints in 2017 and 2018 when the team had successful seasons and made deep runs in the playoffs.
The Panthers are in dire need of an improvement in their passing game.
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In his lone season at LSU, Brady was credited - along with offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger - with overhauling the Tigers' previously-stagnated offense, giving it a modern, sleek look that smashed record books.
With Brady's guidance, LSU saw quarterback Joe Burrow have, arguably, the best passing season in college football history. Burrow threw for 60 touchdowns and ran for four others.
The Tigers set several records, including:
Burrow throwing for over 5,000 yards and 60 touchdowns. No SEC quarterback had ever thrown for 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns.
LSU also pulled a rare quadruple feat with a quarterback who threw for 5,000 yards, two receivers who caught passes for 1,000 yards and a running back who ran for 1,000 yards.