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Alvin Kamara Separated Heated Darren Rizzi From Saints Punter After Near Disaster
New Orleans Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi chewed out rookie punter Matthew Hayball after the New York Giants returned a punt for a touchdown, even though the score was called back due to a flag for holding.
Rizzi's veins popped as he screamed at Hayball on the sideline before Alvin Kamara jumped in between the two, slightly pulling his head coach away and then putting his arm around the rookie punter.
Rizzi had some choice words for Hayball pic.twitter.com/ak8r7S3R1Y
— Saints Film Room (@SaintsFilmRoom) December 8, 2024
Luckily for Hayball and the Saints, a punt-return TD from Giants' return man Ihmir Smith-Marsette was negated. At least Kamara was there to diffuse and keep his rookie punter's head up.
Rizzi assumed the interim title after New Orleans fired Dennis Allen in early November after the Saints' seventh loss in a row. Rizzi joined the Saints as their special teams coordinator in 2019 before he was promoted to assistant head coach in 2022, still keeping his special teams duties. He is 2-1 as the interim head coach while the Saints lead the Giants late on Sunday.
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Blake Silverman is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys and A10Talk. He graduated from Michigan State University before receiving a master's in sports journalism from St. Bonaventure University. Outside of work, he's probably binging the latest Netflix documentary, at a yoga studio or enjoying everything Detroit sports. A lifelong Michigander, he lives in suburban Detroit with his wife, young son and their personal petting zoo of two cats and a dog.