FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons tight ends coach Kevin Koger had already interviewed for two offensive coordinator openings around the NFL when the New Orleans Saints called.
Koger worked with Saints first-year head coach Kellen Moore in 2023 with the Los Angeles Chargers. The 35-year-old Koger said he has an abundance of love and admiration for Moore, and he thinks the world of his former colleague. But Koger declined the interview.
"It was unfortunate the timing just wasn't right in terms of what we had going on here," Koger told Atlanta Falcons on SI on Wednesday. "I had duties and responsibilities here that I wanted to go on. I made promises to the Falcons. So, it was bad timing more than anything else, man.
"Never thought I'd be in a position where I'd be declining any interviews, especially with a guy I have so much respect for, but it was nothing more than bad timing."
The decision, Koger said, was unrelated to Atlanta's rivalry with New Orleans, which dates back to 1967.
"I wish I could say I was that clever," Koger said, smiling. "But no, it was just more so the timing in which it happened. It just wasn't ideal for either side."
A trip to the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles delayed Moore's arrival to the Saints. He was the last of seven head coaches hired in the spring, as he didn't accept the position until Feb. 11.
Koger turned down the Saints' invitation Feb. 14 -- over a month after he interviewed with the Cleveland Browns and two weeks following a meeting with the Dallas Cowboys. New Orleans ultimately filled its offensive coordinator vacancy with Doug Nussmeier, who shared a staff with Koger nine years prior at the University of Michigan.
Being unable to speak with Moore for the opening didn't cloud an otherwise lesson-filled spring for the former Michigan standout.
Koger said Cleveland and Dallas were fairly random inquiries -- he didn't have any obvious connections -- but he appreciated those who recommend him for the spot. It was a good experience, he said, and he's glad he went through the process.
"It's good, always, to get those opportunities and get those reps and got some constructive criticism in terms of areas I can improve to be better," Koger said. "I wouldn't get those reps if it weren't for the players and the guys here. So, very appreciative of being able to be put in that position, but there's more work to do."
Koger, who started his coaching career as the tight ends coach at Salem High School (Mich.) in 2012, is entering his seventh season as an NFL assistant. He first joined the professional ranks in 2019 as an offensive quality control coach for the Green Bay Packers.
After two years in Green Bay, Koger spent three seasons as the Los Angeles Chargers' tight ends coach. He's in his second season with the Falcons -- and it could be his last as a position coach.
Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said Wednesday he believes Koger is capable and ready, from a skill-set perspective, to be an offensive coordinator elsewhere.
"Shoot, 'Koge' has been awesome," Robinson said. "Very lucky to be able to get him on staff last year, and I think he continues to ascend. It's awesome he got those opportunities. Look forward to him just taking even another step this season. He's got a great, big picture understanding of what's going on within the run game, the pass game.
"A tight end's coach, they got to know a lot. They got to know the run game inside and out from their position all the way down the line. They got to know the pass game details. So, I think Koger is on a great track, and we're definitely lucky to have him -- he's a great coach."
Learning from the 38-year-old Robinson, who's in his second season calling plays, is a central part to Koger's journey. In addition to Robinson, Moore and Nussmeier, Koger has spent significant time around several present or former offensive coordinators or play-callers, including Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur and Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi.
But Koger has been particularly impressed by Robinson, who's taken him a greater philosophical level offensively in just over one year of working together.
"He's been around high-level ball," Koger said. "He's such a sharp individual, and he has such a great way of teaching it to the guys, where they can retain the information, go out there and play fast. It's amazing how many concepts we have -- our playbook is expansive, and we're expecting everybody to know it from front to back.
"So, him being able to teach to us as coaches, and us being able to go teach the players while he's also teaching some players. I've learned a lot from him, both X's and O's wise and also in terms of how to map it out, how to construct it, how to give it to guys in a way that makes sense for everybody."
Robinson's operation and presence stand out to Koger, who's taken a deeper interest in the details associated with becoming an offensive coordinator. Koger played at Michigan from 2008-11, and a torn Achilles suffered during the pre-draft process in 2012 may have cost him a chance to play at the next level.
But after immersing himself into various coaching roles, Koger has a heightened understanding of the qualities it takes to be a high-level coordinator -- or, perhaps more specifically, what it looks like.
The "it" factor is often reserved for quarterbacks, though Koger implied the hard-to-quantify traits of a good coordinator falls into a similar realm. Robinson fits the bill, making him a valuable mentor in Koger's coaching journey.
"There's so much that goes in, from my perspective, in terms of being a coordinator," Koger said. "So much that goes into it that doesn't have to deal with calling plays: Constructing the staff, constructing the playbook and making the terminology make sense for players that you do have.
"It's almost like leadership in terms of sometimes it's hard to quantify, it's hard to put into words, but when you see it, you can point it out."
Koger's leadership is such that Robinson did, in fact, point it out -- it's part of what made him an appealing offensive coordinator candidate to a pair of franchises this spring.
The Falcons tight ends' didn't produce at a high level statistically in 2024. Kyle Pitts tied for 21st in the league with 47 catches last season, while his 602 receiving yards ranked 13th. Charlie Woerner and Ross Dwelley, both of whom are known more for blocking than catching passes, combined for eight receptions for 51 yards.
In all, the trio caught 55 passes for 653 yards, giving Atlanta the NFL's eighth-least productive tight end room.
But such numbers aren't reflective of Koger's performance, Robinson said.
"Stats are always very hard," Robinson said, "because the box score stats can be very misleading."
For instance, Robinson said Koger helped Pitts improve on minor details that may have gone unnoticed on the outside, but with Pitts better executing his responsibility, it elevated the offense he comprised. Or with Woerner, who played 42% of Atlanta's offensive snaps in 2024, Koger led the charge in maximizing his skill set.
"There's so many things -- obviously, in football, 22 moving parts on both sides -- that box scores (and) stats can be one thing," Robinson said, "but I think the value Koger had from a leadership standpoint in that room.
"I think he did a great job and will just continue to ascend in that position and look forward to having a great year with those guys."
And at least with Koger, it may be Robinson's last.