The New Orleans Saints parted ways with coach Dennis Allen on Monday, following a loss to the last-place Carolina that extended the team’s losing streak to seven games—their longest since 1999.
“DA is an excellent football coach,” stated Saints general manager Mickey Loomis. “This season, we’ve had an avalanche of injuries. It took its toll. DA has never offered excuses. He fought each day for this organization and this team and that is what makes today disappointing.”
Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi has been named the interim coach for the final eight games of a season that seems destined to be the fourth consecutive without a playoff berth for New Orleans, which currently holds a 2-7 record.
“This is not a day for celebration,” Rizzi remarked. “This is a tough day. At the same time, there’s only one way to fight through this.”
Rizzi, who is 54 years old, stated he embraced the challenge ahead. “I only know how to do things one way. I grew up a little bit of a fighter. I’ve really never been handed anything,” he said, reflecting on his past as a walk-on tight end in college at Rhode Island, an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1992, and his first head coaching job with Division II New Haven in 1999.
“We’re going to reevaluate everything,” added Rizzi, who is a disciple of two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Parcells. “You’re going to reevaluate everybody, everything, staff, the coaches, the players. Because, right now, when you lose seven games in a row, you’re obviously not in a place where you can stay status quo.”
Allen’s tenure with the Saints culminated in an 18-25 record without a playoff appearance since taking over in 2022 after Sean Payton’s one-season retirement. Allen, who was promoted by Loomis following his successful run as the team’s defensive coordinator, saw his defense ranked in the NFL’s top 10 in 2020 and 2021.
“Dennis has been a part of our organization for many years,” said Saints owner Gayle Benson, referring to Allen’s earlier years as a defensive assistant with New Orleans from 2006 to 2010. “He has been extremely loyal and professional. All of this makes today very tough for me and our organization. However, this decision is something that I felt we needed to make at this time.”
In a statement, Allen thanked Benson and Loomis for the opportunity, calling the Saints an “organization that will always be near and dear to my heart.” He acknowledged his players’ dedication and expressed regret that the results were not better.
Under Allen’s leadership, the Saints maintained a strong defense during his first two seasons, but the offense faltered, especially in critical moments of close games. This year, despite a promising start with new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, the team struggled due to significant injuries to key players like center Erik McCoy and quarterback Derek Carr. Top receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, along with veteran guard Cesar Ruiz, also missed time.
Entering Sunday’s game against the Panthers, the Saints were without three of their top four cornerbacks: Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, and Kool-Aid McKinstry. Even though Carr returned to the lineup, the Saints still lost 23-22 despite outgaining the Panthers 427 yards to 246.
Allen concluded his first season at 7-10 and showed marginal improvement last year with a 9-8 record, narrowly missing the playoffs. With hopes high for a playoff return under a new offense, the team’s performance plummeted, dropping to 16th in yards per game by this past Sunday.
The defensive unit also faltered, falling to 28th in the league, allowing 376.4 yards per game. “If you don’t feel bad, something’s probably wrong with you,” safety Tyrann Mathieu said, reflecting on Allen’s dismissal. “Defensively, we played probably the biggest role in him being fired. The way we didn’t close out games. Tackling—that’s kind of been an issue for us all season.”
Allen leaves with a 26-53 record as an NFL head coach, including his time with the Oakland Raiders from 2012-14. He thanked Saints fans for their unwavering support, noting the privilege of coaching a special franchise in a great city.
Rizzi will make his head coaching debut when the Saints host the NFC South-leading Atlanta Falcons. A victory could bring the Saints within three games of Atlanta, with seven more games left in the season.
