Darren Rizzi Takes Helm as Interim Head Coach of the New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints have appointed Darren Rizzi as their interim head coach following the dismissal of Dennis Allen. Rizzi, who previously served as the team’s special teams coordinator, will lead the Saints for the first time in Week 10 against the Atlanta Falcons[2][4].

Rizzi becomes the eighth interim head coach in Saints history, and he has a relatively low bar to clear to become one of the most successful interim coaches for the team. Joe Vitt holds the record for the most wins by an interim coach, with five victories and a .500 record when he filled in for Sean Payton in 2012. Rizzi would need to win at least six of the remaining eight games to surpass Vitt’s record.

The decision to fire Dennis Allen was made by owner Gayle Benson, who did not involve General Manager Mickey Loomis in the process. Despite this, Loomis is reportedly not in danger of losing his job and is described as “bulletproof” by sources close to the team[3].

Despite the recent changes and a current 2-7 record, the Saints do not plan to undergo a full rebuild. Instead, they aim to retool the roster by renegotiating contracts of key veterans and making strategic moves to maintain competitiveness. This approach is driven by the team’s philosophy of avoiding lengthy and unpredictable rebuilds[4][5].