After a demoralizing loss to the Carolina Panthers — a seventh straight defeat — the New Orleans Saints fired head coach Dennis Allen. This was the second time in Allen’s career he was fired midseason.
New Orleans Saints Make Coaching Change, Win More Games
Allen, who coached the team to an 18-25 record since taking over for Sean Payton in The Big Easy, was released after the team lost a heartbreaker to the Panthers 23-22. At the time, the Saints were the only one-win team in the NFL.
Since then, Darren Rizzi has taken over as the interim coach and has fared better. Rizzi was named the interim head coach on Nov. 4. He has directed the Saints to a 3-2 record, and they are showing signs of improvement.
The #Saints have fired coach Dennis Allen after a humbling loss to the #Panthers, per me and @MikeGarafolo. pic.twitter.com/HrVl6A4ZnN
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 4, 2024
Rizzi has been known through his previous NFL stops to be a fiery coach who keeps up with his players on the sidelines. There are numerous stories of Rizzi running step for step with players on long runs during games.
“Darren Rizzi has brought energy, has brought fire, has brought an idea of what a head coaching job should look like and at the same time, will he be given that shot next year? … Everybody’s under evaluation,” said Saints defensive end and team captain Cameron Jordan.
Rizzi has three more games to finish his audition for the job, including against the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football in Week 16.
Rizzi has gone through the interview process before. He knows what it is like to interview, and he knows what it is like not to get the job. This is not his first rodeo. He has been an interim coach before and knows nothing is guaranteed.
“It’s been something I’ve been working toward my whole coaching career now, 32 years,” Rizzi said. “I seem like the old guy now. But … it would mean the world to me.”
Rizzi was the Miami Dolphins’ special teams coordinator under Joe Philbin. Philbin was released midseason and Lions coach Dan Campbell was named interim coach. The first thing Campbell did was name Rizzi assistant head coach. He wanted to rely on Rizzi for his experience with the franchise, as he was with the team for nine seasons.
Campbell didn’t get the Dolphins job at the end of the season — it went to Brian Flores. Soon after Campbell became the head man for the Detroit Lions, he turned that franchise around.
“Sometimes people become a head coach and they change who they are,” Rizzi said. “… Dan’s kind of that underdog. At the time when he got the Detroit job, let’s be honest, a lot of people didn’t know who Dan Campbell was.”
Campbell told Rizzi after he was promoted in New Orleans to be true to himself. Campbell told him not to change his ways because of a new title.
Perhaps the third time will be the charm for Rizzi, and he will get the permanent job in New Orleans. Only time will tell.
