Saints without 8 assistants

The New Orleans Saints will have a total of eight coaches unable to attend today’s road game against the Panthers because of positive covid-19 tests. While offensive line coach Brendan Nugent has cleared covid-19 protocols and is now set to coach, assistant head coach and defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen, and defensive assistant Brian Young, will not be able to attend the game, the club announced on Saturday. The club said Nielsen’s and Young’s game day roles will be divided among the rest of the defensive staff. Six other assistant coaches already had been ruled out: receivers coach Curtis Johnson, tight ends coach Dan Roushar, running backs coach Joel Thomas, offensive analyst Jim Chaney, offensive assistant Declan Doyle and special teams assistant Phil Galiano.