Report: New Orleans Saints hire their next head coach
The New Orleans Saints have promoted defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to the role of head coach, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He will replace Sean Payton, who announced his retirement this offseason.
Allen brings 20 years of NFL experience, including the past seven seasons with the Saints. He was also a defensive line and secondary coach in New Orleans from 2006-10.
This isn’t his first chance at a head coaching gig, as he was previously the Oakland Raiders head man from 2012-14. He compiled a 8-28 record before being fired after an 0-4 start to the 2014 season.
A Texas A&M alumnus, Allen served as a graduate assistant with the Aggies from 1996-99. He entered the NFL in 2002 as a defensive quality control coordinator with the Atlanta Falcons and has also served on the Denver Broncos coaching staff as defensive coordinator.
Allen has big shoes to fill as the Saints next head coach. Sean Payton finished with a 152-89 record in his 15 seasons in New Orleans. He helped lead the franchise to its first-ever Super Bowl victory in 2010.
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The Saints finished 14th in the NFL in passing defense this past season under Allen’s direction, giving up an average of 224.8 yards per game. They tied for sixth in the league with 18 interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns.
The Saints finished this past season 9-8, narrowly missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016. They have the No. 18 pick in the upcoming NFL draft, set to begin April 28.
Many have speculated the Saints will select a quarterback, with ESPN NFL draft expert Jordan Reid projecting them to take Matt Corral out of Ole Miss. New Orleans’ starter from this past season, Jameis Winston, tore his ACL in Week 8 and is a free agent this offseason.
It appears the franchise is headed in a rebuilding direction following the retirement of legendary quarterback Drew Brees after the 2020 season. With Allen at the helm, the hope will be to reclaim the same success New Orleans grew accustomed to under Payton.