The New Orleans Saints dropped their seventh straight game on Sunday, prompting longtime pass rusher Cameron Jordan to publicly lament the team’s failure to meet expectations this season. Now, the franchise has changed course in a big way, on Monday firing head coach Dennis Allen.
Saints assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi will take over as the team’s interim coach, the club announced.
“Dennis has been part of our organization for many years,” Saints owner Gayle Benson said in a team statement. “He is highly regarded within the NFL. He has been extremely loyal and professional and most importantly an excellent football coach for us. 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. I wish nothing but the best in the future for Dennis and his family. He will always be considered in the highest regard by me and everyone within our organization.”
Allen, 52, was in his third season as the Saints coach. This marks the second time he’s been dismissed in-season during his career, as the Oakland Raiders previously fired him after four games in 2014.
New Orleans opened the 2024 campaign 2-0, briefly boasting one of the NFL’s top offenses. Things have gotten much rockier since then, with Sunday’s 23-22 loss to the rival Panthers marking a new low for Allen’s team-up with quarterback Derek Carr, who’s now lost to 31 of the league’s 32 teams in his career.
Allen leaves his post with a combined record of 18-25 as the Saints’ head man, going 7-10 in his first year replacing longtime coach Sean Payton, then improving to 9-8 in 2023. In six incomplete seasons as a head coach during his career, he’s yet to lead a single playoff appearance.
Allen became the Saints’ coach in 2022 after seven years as the team’s defensive coordinator under Payton, who stepped away from the game before his trade to the Denver Broncos last offseason. He also worked under Payton from 2006-2010 as a defensive assistant, winning Super Bowl XLIV with the club.
