New Orleans Saints Coaching History—Aaron Kromer (2012)

Needless to say, the 2012 season was the most turbulent, turmoil-filled season in New Orleans Saints history.

The effects of BountyGate kicked in and the most trying time ever got underway that season.

It was a season of two Interim coaches, making it the fifth and sixth Interim head coaches in franchise history.

Aaron Kromer played college football at Miami-Ohio.

Though he did not play professionally, Kromer embarked on a coaching career that would eventually take him to professional football.

Upon graduating from Miami, Kromer began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater before ascending to a full-time position as tight ends coach and H-backs coach. He was at Miami from 1990-97.

Kromer then went to Northwestern to serve as offensive line coach in 1999 and 2000.

Kromer got his first NFL coaching job, coaching offensive line with the Oakland Raiders from 2001-04, hired by Jon Gruden.

Kromer reunited with Jon Gruden to Tampa Bay in 2005 as senior assistant and added offensive line duties in 2006 and remained with the Buccaneers through 2007.

Sean Payton brought Kromer to New Orleans as running backs coach in 2008 before becoming offensive line coach in 2009.

In 2012, when Payton was suspended for the season, Kromer had to step up and serve as Interim head coach for the first six games of the season as Joe Vitt, who would have been the choice, was also suspended for those games.

Things did not go well for a team that was 14-4 in 2011.

The Saints lost their first four games despite averaging 27.5 points per game. The defense, under new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, could not stop anyone, yielding 32.5 points during those four games. New Orleans lost all four games by eight points or fewer.

Kromer got his first win when the Saints downed the Chargers 31-24 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome as Drew Brees once again defeated his former team, besting Philip Rivers, per usual.

Brees threw for 370 yards and four touchdowns and Marques Colston caught nine passes for 131 yards and three scores and Devery Henderson caught eight passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. Roman Harper defended three passes, had an interception and was in on six tackles while Curtis Lofton had 10 tackles, including a sack.

The Kromer period as head coach ended the following week when the Saints made it two straight wins, scoring a 35-28 victory at Tampa Bay.

New Orleans overcame a 14-0 deficit, scoring 28 unanswered points to take a 35-21 lead and held on for the win.

Brees was brilliant again, passing for 377 yards and four touchdowns. Lance Moore had nine catches for 121 yards while Malcolm Jenkins had nine tackles.

The next week, Vitt returned from suspension to assume the reigns and Kromer returned to his job as offensive line coach.

Kromer left after the 2012 season for a promotion as offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears for two seasons (2013-14) before going to Buffalo as offensive line coach in 2015-16. He joined the Los Angeles Rams as offensive line coach in 2017 and is now the team’s run game coordinator under Sean McVay.

Kromer served New Orleans well as part of three playoff teams and as part of a Super Bowl champion in the 2009 season.

Next up, we will review the Interim head coaching results of Joe Vitt.