Saints Special Teams Earn Elite Grades

An often overlooked aspect of football, Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi had his unit again performing at a top-tier level in 2023.

New Orleans Saints coaches came under a ton of deserved criticism in 2023. Much of the team's fan base is furious over the team's decision to retain head coach Dennis Allen for a third season. Even more are infuriated that the Saints have not yet moved on from offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, and may not do so at all.

One coach on the staff that has gone largely unappreciated is Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi. An assistant with the Saints since 2019, Rizzi is one of the most highly respected position coaches in the NFL. His special teams units have been one of the highest graded in the league during his tenure and repeated those accolades this season. 

Respected NFL analyst Rick Gosselin rated the New Orleans special teams second in the NFL this season, behind only the Houston Texans. In the last six seasons, the Saints have ranked in the Top-5 in total special teams ratings five times, according to Gosselin. 

Second-year WR Rashid Shaheed earned the first Pro Bowl honor of his career as a kick returner. Shaheed was third in punt return average (13.6) and punt return yards (339) while taking one back for a 76-yard touchdown and also averaging 21.3 on kickoff returns. 

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) scores a touchdown on punt return against the Green Bay Packers. Mandatory Credit: Dan Powers-USA TODAY Sports

Rizzi's special teams were more than just Shaheed's impressive achievements. Remember that this is a New Orleans team that moved on from two established kickers in favor of two undrafted rookies, K Blake Grupe and P Lou Hedley. 

Grupe faced the monumental task of replacing Wil Lutz, the second most productive kicker in franchise history. He had some erratic stretches, but Grupe converted all of his 40 extra point attempts and was 30 out of 37 on field goals. Grupe has a powerful leg, knocking most of his kickoffs out of the end zone and hitting six of nine field goals from beyond 50 yards.

Hedley was a little more of a struggle. The Australian-born punter averaged only 43 yards per boot, worst in the NFL and over four yards below league average. Hedley's net average of 39.7 yards was also in the bottom third of the NFL. However, he showed tremendous directional ability, pinning 31 punts inside an opponent’s 20-yard line with only four touch touchbacks. 

Between Hedley's directional accuracy and the team's athletic coverage units, the Saints surrendered an NFL-best 5.6 per punt return. Players like Isaac Yiadom, Ugo Amadi, J.T. Gray, Zack Baun, and many others swarmed over opposing returners. Strong kickoff and punt coverage forced opponents to have an average starting field position of inside their own 27, the third best mark in the NFL this season. 

New Orleans Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi reacts to a play against the Los Angeles Rams. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans also blocked two punts, giving opposing punters nightmares between their pressure and Shaheed's explosive ability. That combination allowed the Saints an average starting field position of their own 31-yard line, which was the second best in the NFL.

According to Rick Gosselin, the Saints finished in the top-10 in 10 of 13 special teams categories. They led, tied for the lead, or finished second in seven of those categories. Darren Rizzi's unit has kept the Saints in a lot of games during his tenure. 

Rizzi, 53, has gotten some head coaching interest throughout the league. He brings a fire and intensity that has been severely lacking throughout the rest of the New Orleans coaching staff. Special teams are often overlooked in national circles, by the average football fan, and even by some teams. For the New Orleans Saints, it's a vital part of their culture and potential team success.