A seventh straight loss proved to be the last straw and the undoing of Dennis Allen.
The New Orleans Saints relieved Allen of his duties and took the fans and players alike out of their misery on Monday following an unacceptable and disappointing 23-22 loss to their division rival Carolina Panthers, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. The team later confirmed the news.
New Orleans has promoted special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi as their interim coach.
“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 took over as head coach after Sean Payton walked away in 2022 to take a job in television at Fox Sports, transitioning from defensive coordinator, a position he had held for seven seasons in New Orleans, to the main chair.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn 43 games as head coach, Allen posted an 18-25 record (.419).
After back-to-back seasons missing the playoffs, the 52-year-old coach entered the 2024 season on razon-thin ice. The 2023 campaign ended filled with locker room questions, however, the Saints decided to run it back with Allen.
The coach brought in coordinator Klint Kubiak, son of legendary coach Gary Kubiak, to put some life into a stalled offense. After two weeks, the move looked brilliant. The Saints put up 47 and 44 points, respectively, in blowout wins over the Panthers and Dallas Cowboys. Those games feel like they never existed.
Then, the Saints fell off a cliff.
New Orleans lost its seventh consecutive game on Sunday afternoon, falling to a Panthers team it thoroughly outplayed in the season opener. The bad energy after the loss highlighted a locker room that never entirely seemed behind the coach.
The seven-game skid marked the longest losing streak for the franchise since Weeks 2-9, 1999.
Allen taking over for Payton seemed like a seamless transition from the Super Bowl-winning coach, but despite a veteran-ladened roster, the Saints never found a way to live up to the talent level, especially on the defensive side of the football. From poorly managed games to humbling losses, the short Allen era will go down as a forgettable wasteland in the Bayou.
“DA is an excellent football coach,” Saints executive vice president and general manager Mickey Loomis said in a statement. “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.”
Monday’s firing marked the second time that Allen was let go midseason. The Oakland Raiders moved on from him just after four games in the 2014 season. Allen is the latest example that some are better coordinators than head coaches.
Allen has to wear a pathetic 26-53 career record (.329) as a head coach.
The midseason firing kickstarts a plethora of questions in New Orleans. Will Loomis keep his job, or will Benson opt for a complete overhaul? Does signal caller Derek Carr stick around? What will happen to the numerous veterans peppering the roster? How does the NFL’s quintessential can-kicking franchise author a fresh start with few young assets?
With each painful loss, Allen’s grip on his job lessened. A seventh straight defeat yanked it away.
