After starting the season out 2-0 via two blow out victories, the New Orleans Saints dropped their 7th contest in a row on Sunday to the lowly Carolina Panthers prompting ownership to fire head coach Dennis Allen.
“Dennis has been part of our organization for many years. 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,” Saints owner Gayle Benson said in a statement. “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 replaced longtime head coach Sean Payton in 2022, posting an 18-25 record over the last several seasons on the sidelines. The 52 year old knew that he was on the hot seat heading into the weekend, and the team’s lacklustre performance, followed by a very public chastising of QB Derek Carr and the coaches by former WR Michael Thomas on social media appear to have been the final nails in the coffin for the 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 in a prepared statement. “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.”
“I am proud to have worked alongside some great coaches, both as an assistant and during my time as the head coach. To those men, I am sincerely grateful for the time and effort they put into their jobs. I am also grateful for the entire staff that worked hard to provide the support and will miss our daily interactions.”
“To every player, thank you for your efforts and contributions. As I said on Sunday, I never questioned your dedication and resolve and I am sorry the results weren’t better, because they were certainly deserved.”
“Lastly, to the Saints fans and residents of New Orleans, I want to thank you for your unwavering passion and support of the team. I realize what a privilege it is to coach a special franchise in a great city and I will fondly remember the opportunity I had to coach the Saints. I wish everyone with the Saints the best of luck and success going forward.”
General Manager Mickey Loomis released a statement of his own thanking Allen for his years of service while also deflecting some of the blame for the team’s poor on field results.
“DA is an excellent football coach,” Loomis said Monday. “This season, we have 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. Dennis has been an integral part of this organization’s success for the better part of twenty years. He will be missed.”
New Orleans named special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi its interim head coach. The Saints are next in action on Sunday against divisional rival Atlanta in a 1pm showdown at the Super Dome.
Photo: Tammy Anthony Baker. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.