• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
The Best Employers in Sports survey is open through Nov. 6 Learn More

Saints’ New HC Dennis Allen Faces Tough Task

  • New Orleans’ defense improved every season since he took over as defensive coordinator in 2015.
  • Allen went 8-28 while coaching the Raiders from 2012-14.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports/Design: John Regula

The final NFL head coaching vacancy will soon be filled. On Monday, the Saints tapped their defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen.

The 49-year-old will replace mainstay Sean Payton, who delivered the franchise’s only Super Bowl title during his 16 seasons with the team. 

Allen, the Saints’ DC since 2015, has proved to be an elite defensive mind — his unit improved every year since he took over — but is he the right choice to lead a franchise in flux in the post-Drew Brees era?  

  • In 2016, the defense ranked 31st in PPG and 27th in YPG in 2016 and jumped to 10th and 17th the following season.
  • In 2020, it was fifth in points (21.1) and fourth in yards (310.9).
  • In 2021, despite missing the playoffs, it improved to fourth in points (19.7) and was still seventh in yards (318.2).

Allen isn’t stepping into a dream scenario: The Saints are currently $76 million over the cap, the highest in the NFL, and the roster is riddled with unanswered questions — including the starting quarterback in 2022 and the futures of Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara.

Allen went 8-28 as head coach of the Raiders from 2012-14, but there’s reason for hope: He was interim coach in Week 15 while Payton had COVID, and the Saints blanked Tom Brady for the first time since 2006.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

2024 NFL Trade Deadline Live Updates: Lattimore Bolsters Commanders Defense

The 2024 NFL Trade Deadline is at 4:00. Which teams have added talent and salary?

ESPN’s Jason Kelce Avoids Discipline After Viral Fan Confrontation

The dust continues to settle from Jason Kelce’s viral confrontation.
opinion

McCarthy: Embiid, Kelce May Have Overreacted, but Hard to Blame Them

Joel Embiid shoved a columnist, while Jason Kelce smashed a heckler’s phone.

NFL Center Connor McGovern Is the Heir to a Potato Empire

The NFL vet’s family provides potatoes for McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and others.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

NFL Teams Face Crossroads at Season’s Halfway Point

0:00

Featured Today

Vanderbilt Commodores fans head to the south end zone as the goal post is taken down by exuberant fans after beating No. 1 Alabama 40-35 at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.
opinion

Something New in College Football This Year: Parity

Upsets, surprises. CFB is more fun on the field than the NFL.
Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump waves flanked by former Georgia Bulldogs player Herschel Walker, recording art Kid Rock, professional golfer John Daily, Alabama senators Tommy Tuberville (R) and Katie Britt (R) during the second half of the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
November 1, 2024

Mission Swing State: College Football’s Political Advertising Battle

Trump, Harris, and the PACs that support them are utilizing the sport.
October 31, 2024

The Untapped Revenue ‘Powder Keg’ of Women’s NFL Fandom

There’s a “boatload” of money at stake for brands and the league.
Donald Trump holding a basketball in the White House
October 30, 2024

Mavericks Owner’s $100 Million Trump Donation Dwarfs All Other Sports Owner Political Giving

Dr. Miriam Adelson is one of the most powerful donors in U.S. politics.
Nov 2, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney reacts during the fourth quarter against the Louisville Cardinals at Memorial Stadium.

Dabo Swinney Encounters Voting Mix-Up on Election Day

“They done voted me out of the state, lost a game,” Swinney joked.
October 27, 2024

Indiana Fever Fire Sides, Open Sixth WNBA Coaching Vacancy

Sides coached the Fever for two seasons.
November 1, 2024

Stephanie White Returns to Indiana Fever to Coach Caitlin Clark in Year Two

White led the Fever to a Finals appearance in 2015.
Sponsored

World Series Delivers High-Demand Marquee Matchup

The hype around the World Series matchup drove ticket prices to record levels—but the Dodgers’ dominance quickly quieted the fervor.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle
October 17, 2024

Rick Carlisle Settles With Agent Who Says He Was Stiffed on Commission

The lawsuit centered on Carlisle’s 2018 deal with the Mavericks.
Natalie Nakase
October 14, 2024

Valkyries Coach Natalie Nakase: Joe Lacob Wants a Title Within Five Years

Nakase was hired Thursday as the Valkyries’ first coach.
September 16, 2024

Coaching Hot Seats Heat Up Despite Expanded Playoffs, Massive Buyouts

Despite college and pro football season having just started, several coaches are already facing public pressure.
Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin (left) and head coach Billy Napier talk before a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
September 16, 2024

What Are Coaches Billy Napier’s and Mike Norvell’s Respective Buyouts?

Florida and Florida State have struggled mightily to begin this season.