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Former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen issued a statement on behalf of the team following his firing on Monday (November 4).
"I want to take this opportunity to first and foremost thank Gayle Benson for the opportunity to be the head coach of the New Orleans Saints," Allen said. "The organization will always be near and dear to my heart and I am disappointed the results weren't better. I also want to thank [Saints president] Mickey Loomis for the support he and his staff provided throughout the entire time I was with the organization.
"I am proud to have worked alongside some great coaches, both as an assistant and during my time as the head coach. To those men, I am sincerely grateful for the time and effort they put into their jobs. I am also grateful for the entire staff that worked hard to provide the support and will miss our daily interactions.
"To every player, thank you for your efforts and contributions. As I said on Sunday, I never questioned your dedication and resolve and I am sorry the results weren't better, because they were certainly deserved.
"Lastly, to the Saints fans and residents of New Orleans, I want to thank you for your unwavering passion and support of the team. I realize what a privilege it is to coach a special franchise in a great city and I will fondly remember the opportunity I had to coach the Saints. I wish everyone with the Saints the best of luck and success going forward."
Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi was promoted to interim head coach. Allen's firing came hours after the Saints fell to 2-7 with Sunday's (November 3) loss to the NFC South Division rival Carolina Panthers, having lost seven consecutive games after starting the season with a 2-0 record.
Allen, 52, joined the Saints' staff as a senior defensive assistant in 2015, following a head coaching stint with the then-Oakland Raiders, and was promoted to defensive coordinator after Rob Ryan's firing midway through the season. The Atlanta native worked as the team's defensive coordinator from 2015 to 2021 before being promoted to head coach in February 2022 following Sean Payton's sudden retirement announcement two weeks prior.
Allen went 18-25 during three seasons as the Saints' head coach and has a 26-53 overall record as an NFL head coach.