Saints Owner Gayle Benson Made The Right Decision

Will more changes come with the New Orleans Saints after parting ways with Dennis Allen?

November 27, 2022; Santa Clara, California, USA; New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Ultimately, Gayle Benson made the right decision for the New Orleans Saints by parting ways with Dennis Allen. With Allen as head coach, this season shouldn't have happened. Besides the injuries, defensively, the playcalling and poor tackling were troubling. All fell underneath his watch.  

"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.” - Gayle Benson

After his first season, when Cam Jordan alluded to having a coach still trying to "figure it out," the writing was on the wall for trouble ahead. The Saints fans endured many painful moments in support of the team. Delivering Sunday's loss to the Panthers was enough for Gayle Benson and Cam Jordan.

Many people witnessed the gut-wrenching video of Jordan refusing to enter the team's locker room. At the same time, Derek Carr and Alvin Kamara tried to calm down their upset teammate after the embarrassing 23-22 loss to the struggling Carolina Panthers.

#Saints Cam Jordan didn’t go straight to locker room. Derek Carr went to get him. New Orleans frustrated after a 7th straight loss. @wcnc @WWLTV pic.twitter.com/NI4zsEVqxf

— Nick Carboni (@NickCarboniWCNC) November 3, 2024

Jordan posted on social media: "We just lost to the Panthers… I love y'all New Orleans truly had higher expectations and the best of hopes for us, y'all deserve it."

This loss underscored the challenges faced by the team and was the final straw for Gayle Benson.

According to Nick Underhill, team owner, "[Gayle] Benson met with multiple players last week and traded emails with some to find out what has been going on with the team and how they felt about the head coach. Multiple players told her that the program was failing and that changes weren't just needed but urgent."

The underlying concern for New Orleans was losing the locker room and the fans' engagement. More of a problem was why executive vice president and general manager Mickey Loomis was adamant about retaining Allen, even after last season missing the postseason for a third season twice under his leadership.

Loomis challenged the media in January to acknowledge that "good coaches" like Bill Belichick and Chuck Noll started their careers with losing records, essentially inferring that Allen's losing record was acceptable.

Dennis Allen has an overall NFL head coaching record of 26 wins and 53 losses, resulting in a winning percentage of 32.9%. In New Orleans, Allen achieved a record of 18 wins and 25 losses, giving him a winning percentage of 41.9%.

Dennis Allen Statement / New Orleans Saints

Last season, Allen insisted on allowing offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael to serve as the primary play-caller when, the previous season, the offense was inconsistent. Unfortunately, the offense repeated its performance, and Carmichael was dismissed during the offseason to hire Klint Kubiak.

Allen desired for Derek Carr to become the franchise's quarterback. On March 6, 2023, Mickey Loomis offered Carr a four-year, $150 million contract with $100 million in guaranteed money. Since the signing, he's restructured the deal to save the team $20 million against the current salary cap. However, the team's winning has yet to match the expectations for Carr's signing.

What's next for New Orleans?   

Veteran special teams coach Darren Rizzi becomes the Saints interim head coach. Aaron Glenn has a past with New Orleans as the team's secondary coach. He's doing a great job as the Detroit Lions defensive coordinator. Ownership and the front office must consider a significant change in the club's hiring process and the type of person to hire.

It's now on Rizzi to stabilize the situation in New Orleans for the remainder of the season. As the Atlanta Falcons fly into the Big Easy for their annual "Hate Week" visit, the Saints are in a must-win situation — not for the postseason, but for the pride and the fanbase.

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