The New Orleans Saints have officially fired head football coach Dennis Allen after falling to the Carolina Panthers 23-22 on Sunday to continue a seven-game losing streak.
Allen was hired by former New Orleans head coach Sean Payton in 2015 as a defensive assistant and was later promoted to the defensive coordinator role. He was then elevated to serve as head coach in 2022 when Payton retired from his post.
In his time as the Saints’ frontman, Allen mounted an 18-25 overall record and never had the team in the playoffs. This season, the Saints started off hot, dominating their first two contests before falling off and amassing the program’s longest losing streak in 25 years.
Overall, Allen is 26-53 in his NFL coaching career, including an 8-28 mark with the then-Oakland Raiders from 2012 to 2014. The Saints organization named special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi the interim coach with eight games left in the current campaign.
Statements from within the Saints’ organization
Allen, who did not publicly challenge his termination, expressed gratitude to the Saints’ front-office management and ownership for the opportunity to be the team’s head coach.
“I want to take this opportunity to first and foremost thank Gayle Benson for the opportunity to be the head coach of the New Orleans Saints,” Allen said. “The organization will always be near and dear to my heart and I am disappointed the results weren’t better. I also want to thank Mickey Loomis for the support he and his staff provided throughout the entire time I was with the organization.”
New Orleans General Manager Mickey Loomis credited Allen for fighting amid a bevy of injuries that plagued the NFL organization this year.
“[Dennis Allen] is an excellent football coach,” Loomis said. “This season, we’ve had an avalanche of injuries. It took its toll. [Dennis Allen] has never offered excuses. He fought each day for this organization and this team and that is what makes today disappointing.”
Injury Problem
Injuries have certainly contributed to the Saints’ current downfall. After scoring 91 points in the first two games, the offense has become anemic with a lack of production from banged-up players. Newly hired offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has yet to find solutions to the pesky injury bug pillaging his group.
Center Erik McCoy, the Saints’ most accomplished offensive lineman, went down in week three and has yet to play since. Meanwhile, New Orleans has endured stints without quarterback Derek Carr, top receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, and veteran guard Cesar Ruiz, among others.
Additionally, the Saints entered Sunday’s loss to the Panthers without three of its top four cornerbacks on defense — Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, and Kool-Aid McKinstry. Allen’s defense, meanwhile, has plummeted to 28th, allowing 376.4 yards per game.
Next Up
To begin a three-game homestand with an interim head coach, the New Orleans Saints will take on the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at 12 p.m. central in the Caesars Superdome.
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