The writing has been on the wall for several weeks now. It was only a matter of time before the New Orleans Saints moved on from head coach Dennis Allen. The Saints will conduct the search for their next head coach in the offseason, but for now, Darren Rizzi takes over as interim head coach.
Get to know the man at the controls for the Saints for the remainder of the 2024 season.
Who Is Darren Rizzi?
The 54-year-old Rizzi was named interim head coach of the Saints following the team’s termination of Allen on the morning of Monday, Nov. 4.
Rizzi has been involved in coaching since 1993. He spent 17 years in the college ranks before getting his opportunity in the NFL, joining the Miami Dolphins’ staff as the special teams coordinator in 2010.
Rizzi served in his post for eight years, adding “associate head coach” to his title for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Yet, after Brian Flores was hired in 2019 to be Miami’s head coach, he opted not to retain Rizzi.
How Long Has Rizzi Been With the Saints?
Rizzi did not remain unemployed for long, however. Shortly after being let go by the Dolphins, he was picked up by the Saints, officially joining the team on Feb. 1, 2019.
Rizzi’s trajectory with New Orleans was similar to his time in Miami. He served in the same role as special teams coordinator, and then a few years later in 2022, the Saints added assistant head coach to his title.
As assistant HC, Rizzi was naturally the next man up once Allen was fired.
Has Rizzi Ever Won a Super Bowl?
No, Rizzi has never won a Super Bowl. The only two NFL teams he’s been a part of are the Dolphins and Saints, and the former hasn’t so much won a playoff game in 24 years.
With New Orleans, Rizzi has been a coach for three playoff games, winning one of them. The Saints have not advanced further than the Divisional Round, though, during his tenure with the team.
Who Was the Head Coach Before Rizzi?
Prior to Rizzi, New Orleans’ head coach was the aforementioned Allen. He coached the Saints for 2.5 years before being fired following the team’s Week 9 loss to the Carolina Panthers in the 2024 season.
Allen’s coaching record is lackluster, to say the least. He finished with an 18-25 record in New Orleans, failing to make the playoffs in either of his two full seasons.
Previously, Allen coached the Raiders from 2012-2014, but he was even less successful in Oakland, holding an 8-28 record.
Overall, Allen’s record as a head coach is 26-53, the 16th-worst winning percentage among qualified coaches in NFL history.