Darren Rizzi had a good start to his tenure as interim head coach for the New Orleans Saints. However, after a hard-fought 20-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, not everything was conventional.
Rizzi’s interaction with reporters about the bizarre start to his game day was the talk of the town. He joked about how he thought it would be a “crappy day” for him. Rizzi has embraced his journey with the Saints, stepping in after the firing of head coach Dennis Allen last week.
NFL Fans Can’t Handle Darren Rizzi’s Bizarre Bathroom Story
Rizzi brought fresh energy to the struggling team, which hadn’t tasted victory since Week 2. His leadership was a welcome change for Saints fans. After a seven-game losing streak, the Saints played with intensity, overcoming missed field goals and dropped passes and delivering a highlight-reel interception from Tyrann Mathieu that sealed the win.
However, it was the bathroom mishap that had fans talking. The interim Saints HC told reporters how his day started. “I get down to the Superdome. I go in the head coach’s locker room, which I’ve never used before. So here I am, early in the morning, I go to the bathroom. This is how my day started. I clogged the toilet. I’m like, ‘This is gonna be a crappy day.’ Pun intended!”
“I’m like, OK, this is not really a great start to the day. Here we go.’ And so, not really feeling like the head coach of an NFL team right now. I’m like, ‘Really? This is really how we’re gonna start my day?’” Rizzi continued.
This had NFL fans flood social media, with one tweeting, “Belichick would never,” poking fun at the unexpected incident.
Belicheck would never…..
— Michael Walsh (@Michael87699628) November 11, 2024
“Too much information,” said another.
One fan wrote, “Crushed the first part of the interview process…👀 ”
“I cannot unsee the vision of him on his throne now 😩,” joked said.
“TMI. You can be relevant without being disgusting,” one fan commented.
For some fans, Rizzi’s transparency and his down-to-earth approach are a refreshing change.
One X user wrote, “He’s a Jersey Boy! Fugetabputit!!! Tough folks. Love the whole state.”
Under his guidance, the Saints looked reorganized. Running back Alvin Kamara had a superb game, and the electric crowd celebrated every big play. This is not new for Rizzi, who has experience sparking team turnarounds. He found himself in a similar situation in Miami.
His familiarity with the impact of coaching changes is paying dividends in New Orleans. The Saints enjoy a lighter schedule ahead and, currently sitting at 3-7, may have a shot at redemption. However, Rizzi remains realistic. “There’s plenty of stuff to get corrected. But it’s surreal seeing how happy the players were in the locker room,” he said.
As the Saints march on to face the Cleveland Browns next week, fans can only hope that Rizzi’s magic, quirky sense of humor, and newfound team spirit will continue to propel them forward.