Så gik den ikke længere. Efter syv nederlag i træk har New Orleans Saints valgt, at fyre head coach Dennis Allen.
Allen i sit tredje år, som head coach for Saints. Og efter en rigtig god start på sæsonen med to storsejre, kom rækken af syv nederlag.
I hans første sæson vandt Saints 7 kampe, mens holdet tabte 10. I 2023 blev det lidt bedre og Saints var da også tæt på at vinde NFC South. Men sluttede her 9-8 ligesom Tampa Bay Buccaneers, der var bedre indbyrdes.
Allen var Saints 17. head coach og overtog jobbet efter Sean Payton.
“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,” said Saints Owner Gayle Benson. “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.”
“DA is an excellent football coach,” said Saints Executive Vice President and General Manger Mickey Loomis. “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.”
Nu vil special teams coach Darren Rizzi overtage head coach rollen midlertidigt. Og Saints skal dermed efter sæson finde holdets næste head coach.
Rizzi blev hyret som special teams coordinator for New Orleans Saints den 11. februar 2019, og blev assistent head coach i 2022 under head coach Dennis Allen. Rizzi har været træner i 31 år og har sin længste periode med Miami Dolphins fra 2009 til 2018.
Saints møder søndag ærkerivalerne fra Atlanta Falcons i Superdomen klokken 19:00.
Peyton Manning som mulig GM i New Orleans ???
Should Benson make the move for a new GM, who would then hire the new coach, here are three hot, youngish candidates rising through the ranks. But first, let’s take a quick look at a Hail Mary. That would be New Orleans native and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, who won one Super Bowl each with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos and lost one as a Colt to the Saints in the 2009-10 season.
Manning, 48, has no general manager experience. He basically has been enjoying life and working on the side since his retirement as an NFL player in 2016 after winning Super Bowl 50 with Denver. He has become a TV commercial star while showing remarkable media talent on his ManningCasts during Monday Night Football.But he knows football. And former Denver two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback John Elway had no previous front office experience when he became the Broncos’ GM in 2011, and he went on to build the Super Bowl 50 champion with Manning.If he wants it and devotes his time to it, Manning could probably be an excellent GM in New Orleans. But he would have to move his family from the Denver area that he loves. For years, the Manning family with patriarch Archie Manning have toyed with the idea of buying the Saints. Now might be the best time for that, which could pave the way for Peyton in charge. And he could bring in his newfound ManningCast friend – former Patriots coach Bill Belichick.And, hey, he could still do commercials. At the moment, though, Manning is very happy in Denver and with what he is doing.
Jeg tror ikke på Payton Manning som GM for Saints. På papiret og hele Manning familiens historie, gør nok at historien lyder interessant. Men jeg tænker at Loomis position er ret sikker hos Saints. Jeg ville nærmere tro, at hvis Loomis ville gå af, at Saints så, ligesom med Dennis Allen, ville gå med deres egen Khai Harley som GM.