Tag: Head Coach

Former Saints player details the beginning of the end for Dennis Allen

Dennis Allen’s actions in the 2023 season finale vs. the Falcons was a tough pill for fans to swallow. James Hurst says many players felt the same:

James Hurst retired this offseason, but he saw the separation between Dennis Allen and the New Orleans Saints locker room last year. He even went as far as to say some players wondered if Mickey Loomis would fire Allen at the end of the 2023 season.

Hurst reflects on the aftermath of players going against Allen’s wishes to kneel the ball out against the Atlanta Falcons in the season finale. Hurst was among the crew that opted to get Jamaal Williams his first touchdown of the season. He admits they were wrong but players were disappointed Allen apologized to Arthur Smith instead of having their back publicly.

“Many of the players felt he missed an opportunity there to have our backs, to defend us, even though what we did was wrong, admittedly,” Hurst relayed. Fans were upset Allen didn’t embody what they believed was Saints culture, but players were upset he hung them out to dry. Their preference was a public backing to show a unified front and being reprimanded in private.

Those emotions continued into the next day as players talked negatively among themselves. It was to the point to that when Loomis called a rare post season meeting, players thought it was to announce Allen’s departure.

Hurst capped off his statement by saying, “maybe that was the beginning of the end. That was definitely tough for the players to swallow and something surely some of the guys hadn’t quite gotten over.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Tyrann Mathieu voices support for Dennis Allen after head coach is fired by Saints

Tyrann Mathieu voiced his thoughts on the Saints parting ways with head coach Dennis Allen, and he doesn’t share the same sentiment that so many seem to:

Tyrann Mathieu was among the many Saints players who spoke up and voiced their thoughts and opinions after New Orleans decided to fire the head coach on Monday.

“I’m from New Orleans so I remember when we weren’t very good on defense,” Mathieu told NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill.  “We all played a part in him not being here anymore. … I think from an accountability standpoint, this just gives a chance to get together and get tighter.”

Even though there are several fans expressing joy and relief now that Allen is gone, Mathieu isn’t relishing in the events that have taken place at all.

“(I am) disappointed,” Mathieu said. “(It is) heartbreaking. First team I ever been that basically a coach got fired.”

The decision by team owner Gayle Benson to part ways with Allen came right after the Saints fell 23-22 to the Carolina Panthers, one of the worst teams in the NFL, on the road. That extended the Saints’ losing streak to seven games.

While injuries and other issues have plagued the Saints and continued to this backside after they started the season on a two-game winning streak, there is no doubt that coaching played a part.

Now the Saints will, at least temporarily, look to the talents of special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi to hopefully get them back to the right side of the win column as they face the visiting Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Dennis Allen reacts to being dismissed by the Saints

Dennis Allen aired his thoughts on being dismissed by the New Orleans Saints. He says he’s leaving the team on good terms:

Dennis Allen is no longer the head coach of the New Orleans Saints as of Monday, Nov. 4.

It’s a move that many get the sense has been a long time coming, made final with 23-22 loss to one of the worst teams, if not previously the NFL’s worst team, against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

The fall extended the team’s losing streak to some seven total games, forcing action out of team owner Gayle Benson. Allen, as would be expected, is disappointed in the outcome and expressed as much to Jay Glazer of FOX NFL Sunday.

“Just got off the phone with Dennis Allen,” Glazer shared in a post on social  media. “‘Obviously disappointed but had nothing but love for the Saints and New Orleans. ‘Of course I’m disappointed but I love that organization, I love the people in there and will always have so much love for the city of New Orleans. I always will!’”

Allen had a solid run with the Saints in 2023 when the team finished out the season with an overall record of 9-8, but things have been in nothing short of a state of collapse ever since then.

The Saints have named special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi the interim head coach as New Orleans sets out on its first true day of figuring out Allen’s replacement.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Darren Rizzi has been named the Saints’ interim head coach

After firing Dennis Allen, Darren Rizzi was the best choice for New Orleans Saints interim head coach. He’s interviewed for the job before:

After firing Dennis Allen, Darren Rizzi was the best choice for New Orleans Saints interim head coach. He’s interviewed for the job before. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Rizzi was expected to be named the team’s interim coach, which was confirmed by the Athletic’s Dianna Russini.

Rizzi interviewed for the head coach vacancy back in 2022 after Sean Payton stepped down from his post, but the job ultimately went to Allen. Going with Rizzi now gives players a familiar face to rally around and try to salvage their season.

Special teams coaches are the few coaches who interact with  almost e very player o n the roster, both offense and defense. They teach linemen where to line up on field goal tries and show quarterbacks how to hold a snap for a kick. They work with linebackers, receivers, tight ends, and everyone else in the return game covering punts and kickoffs.

And Rizzi, specifically, is a respected voice around the league. He’s coached special teams for a long time and played a key role in forming the new kickoff rules implemented this season. When he speaks, others listen.

Naming Rizzi the interim coach also keeps Klint Kubiak in place as the offensive coordinator and Joe Woods at defensive coordinator. Neither of them will have to take on extra duties and risk getting overwhelmed. More changes should be on the way, but for now this was thee best path forward for New Orleans.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Sean Payton to face off against ‘good coaching friend’ John Harbaugh

“I would consider him a good coaching friend,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of Ravens coach John Harbaugh.

The Denver Broncos will face the Baltimore Ravens this weekend, and all eyes will be on legendary coaches Sean Payton and John Harbaugh.

Both men are past Super Bowl champions and have their teams, 5-3, primed for an AFC playoff run. Sunday’s showdown will have big playoff implications.

Payton and Harbaugh’s relationship goes back a long way, and Payton reflected on their working relationship during his media availability on Friday.

“We worked together for a year in Philadelphia,” Payton said. “My second year in the league I think was his first year. So my first year was [1997], and then I think John was hired in ’98. We were together under [former Eagles head coach] Ray Rhodes in 1998.

“I ended up at the Giants. John obviously was with Philly for quite a while, and then became a head coach. So I got to know him and his family well, and I would consider him a good coaching friend.”

The friendship will turn into a rivalry for four quarters on Sunday when Payton and Harbaugh face off at 11:00 a.m. MT on select CBS networks.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Broncos have 4 candidates for 2025 Hall of Fame class

The Broncos have four candidates for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, including two-time Super Bowl champion Neil Smith.

Former Denver Broncos coaches Mike Shanahan and Dan Reeves were named semifinalists for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class earlier this week.

Shanahan and Reeves are two of nine candidates in the coach category. The selection committee will narrow that list of nine semifinalists down to one finalist later this month.

The Broncos also have two modern-era players who made the cutdown from 167 nominees down to 50 candidates last month: defensive linemen Neil Smith and Simeon Rice.

That gives Denver four total candidates for next year’s Hall of Fame class.

Broncos candidates for Hall of Fame

  1. Coach Mike Shanahan
  2. Coach Dan Reeves
  3. DL Neil Smith
  4. DL Simeon Rice

The Hall of Fame’s selection committee will meet on Nov. 19 to select one coach finalist. The list of modern-era player nominees will also be trimmed down to 25 semifinalists later this month. The 2025 class will be announced before Super Bowl LVIX next year.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

2 Seahawks head coaches named semi-finalists for 2025 Hall of Fame class

2 Seahawks head coaches named semi-finalists for 2025 Hall of Fame class

The Seattle Seahawks are arguably under-represented in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Yes, legends such as Steve Largent, Walter Jones, Kenny Easley and Cortez Kennedy have been given their due respect, but I have been banging the drum for years that Shaun Alexander belongs in Canton.

Of course, a football team’s success isn’t just measured by those who take the field. The men who stand on the sidelines are just as important as well. On Thursday, it was announced two former Seahawks head coaches – Mike Holmgren and Chuck Knox – were among the semi-finalists for coaches to be inducted in the Hall of Fame’s 2025 class.

Both men were instrumental in developing the Seahawks franchise and taking them to heights they’d never been before prior to their hirings. Chuck Knox began his career in Seattle in 1983, which was the first time the Seahawks had qualified for the playoffs. Not only did they earn a postseason berth, they won their first playoff game under him and even made it all the way to the AFC Championship. Seattle went to the playoffs four times under Knox, finishing with a record of 3-4. Until 2005, those were the only three playoff wins in Seahawks history.

Every great Seattle team has been defined by their ability to run the ball at an elite level, and it started with Knox. His commitment to the run earned him the nickname “Ground Chuck.” Knox finished his Seahawks career with a record of 80-63, and to this day is still the only coach to have won the illustrious “Coach of the Year” award, which he took home in 1984.

It’s no secret the Seahawks floundered for many years in the 1990’s, and did not find much stability until they hired the next coach on our list, Mike Holmgren. After a highly successful run in Green Bay, where he helped the Packers win Super Bowl XXXI, Holmgren became the first head coach owner Paul G. Allen ever hired. The decision immediately proved to be a great one, as he broke Seattle’s playoff drought during his first season in 1999.

Holmgren’s best years in the Pacific Northwest took place in the mid-2000’s when he took Seattle to their first Super Bowl appearance in the 2005 season – which ended unceremoniously in the highly controversial Super Bowl XL. Holmgren also continuously endears himself to the 12th Man by routinely reminding them they should have two Super Bowl banners at Lumen Field.

But the trip to the Super Bowl wasn’t the only success Seattle had during this stretch. From 2003-2007, the Seahawks had five-consecutive playoff appearances and four-consecutive division titles under Holmgren. Even under Pete Carroll, Seattle never took home four-straight NFC West crowns, nor did they ever exceed five-straight playoff appearances. Overall, Holmgren finished his tenure in the Emerald City with a 90-80 combined record.

Chuck Knox and Mike Holmgren are two of the best coaches in league history, not just with Seattle. Knox took three different teams to the playoffs (Rams, Seahawks and Bills), and won coach of the year three times total, one with each squad. At the time of his retirement, his 186 wins were sixth-all time and is still good enough for 10th currently. Including the playoffs, his win total was 193 games.

As for Holmgren, he is one of only seven head coaches to take two different organizations to the Super Bowl. He was also the first coach in NFL history to win at least 75 games with two different franchises, which helped contribute to his lofty 161-111 all-time record as well. Including the playoffs, Holmgren had 174 total wins.

To say these men are overdue to be enshrined in Canton is the understatement of the season.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1360]

Mike Shanahan, Dan Reeves advance in Hall of Fame voting process

Mike Shanahan and the late Dan Reeves have been named semifinalists for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

Three-time Super Bowl champion Mike Shanahan is advancing as a coach candidate for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, the Hall announced Thursday. Another former Denver Broncos coach, the late Dan Reeves, also advanced in the voting.

The list of coach 14 candidates has been trimmed down to nine semifinalists: Shanahan, Reeves, Bill Arnsparger, Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Chuck Knox, Marty Schottenheimer, George Seifert and Clark Shaughnessy.

Shanahan, 72, won his first Super Bowl as an offensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers following the 1994 season. He later won back-to-back Super Bowls as head coach of the Broncos in the 1997 and 1998 seasons. Elements of his offense are still seen across the NFL today.

Reeves died at age 77 in 2022. He reached two Super Bowls as a player with the Dallas Cowboys, winning his first title following the 1971 season. Reeves later reached three more Super Bowls as an assistant with the Cowboys, winning his second title after the 1977 season. He went on to reach four more Super Bowls as a head coach, including three with the Broncos.

Reeves’ nine total Super Bowl appearances represent the third-most in NFL history only behind Tom Brady (10) and Bill Belichick (12). Reeves should eventually reach Canton, and Shanahan seems to be trending toward a Hall of Fame nod in 2025.

Denver also has two modern-era player candidates for the 2025 class in defensive linemen Neil Smith and Simeon Rice.

Broncos candidates for Hall of Fame

  1. Coach Mike Shanahan
  2. Coach Dan Reeves
  3. DL Neil Smith
  4. DL Simeon Rice

The Hall of Fame’s selection committee will meet on Nov. 19 to select one finalist from the coach category to advance in the voting process. The list of modern-era player nominees will also be trimmed down to 25 semifinalists in November. The 2025 class will be announced before Super Bowl LVIX next year.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Even if Dennis Allen gets the Saints out of this mess, keeping him is a mistake

Even if Dennis Allen gets the Saints out of this mess, keeping him is a mistake. Teams that recover from a 2-6 slump tend to fall right back into it:

The New Orleans Saints are in a very bad place logistically, as they sit at 2-6 for the first time since 2005, and no Saints team has ever made the playoffs after starting off with this record. In fact, only three teams have done so since 1970 when the NFL merger occurred, who are the Cincinnati Bengals in 1970, the Washington Commanders in 2020, and the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022. Of these three teams, each of them kept their head coach for at least two more years, and if history is any indication, this would be a mistake if Dennis Allen manages to turn things around for the Saints in a similar manner.

Starting with the 1970 Bengals, they started 2-6 before winning out to go to 8-6, and won their division with that record, however they ultimately lost in the divisional round by a score of 17-0 to the Baltimore Colts. Coach Paul Brown was there at the time, and he got a whopping five more seasons after this turnaround, and had a mixed bag of results which is more than we can say for the other two. In his five remaining seasons, here are the Bengals’ results:

  • 1971: 4-10 record, fourth in the division
  • 1972: 8-6 record, third in the division
  • 1973: 10-4 record, first in the division, playoffs but lost in the divisional round by a score of 34-16 to Miami Dolphins
  • 1974: 7-7 record, third in the division
  • 1975: 11-3 record, second in the division, playoffs but lost in the divisional round by a score of 31-28 to Oakland Raiders
  • Overall since 2-6 comeback: 40-30 record, two playoff appearances which were both divisional round losses

That is where things stop being so good, as the remaining two coaches faltered after their turnarounds. First up, Ron Rivera, who pulled off the 2-6 comeback in his first season as the head coach of the then Washington Football Team, finishing with a 7-9 record. They ultimately lost in the wild card round however by a score of 31-23 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After that, it was all downhill:

  • 2021: 7-10 record, third in the division
  • 2022: 8-8-1 record, fourth in the division
  • 2023: 4-13 record, fourth in the division
  • Overall since 2-6 comeback: 19-31-1 record, no additional playoff appearances before firing

Then finally we have Doug Pederson, who also completed this comeback in his first season as a head coach, finishing with a 9-8 record and bringing the Jaguars to the divisional round due to winning their division, where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs by a score of 27-20. Pederson still remains employed through early 2024, where they now funny enough sit at 2-6 through eight weeks. Here is their history since 2022:

  • 2023: 9-8 record, second in the division
  • 2024: 2-6 record, currently third in the division
  • Overall since 2-6 comeback: 11-14 record, no playoff appearances (pending 2024 results)

Between all three of these coaches in the nine and a half seasons they got after their 2-6 comeback seasons, they had a combined record of 70-75-1 and two playoff appearances. That’s 146 games with a combined 47.9% win rate, and if that’s good enough to remain head coach of the New Orleans Saints, there are bigger discussions to be had.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Broncos DC Vance Joseph had a perfect response to head coach rumors

“Being mentioned is cool, but right now my mind’s not there,” Broncos DC Vance Joseph said of being named on head coach candidate lists.

The Denver Broncos‘ defense has been one of the best in the NFL this fall, which has led to rumblings that defensive coordinator Vance Joseph could be a top head coach candidate following the season.

Joseph, 52, previously served as Denver’s head coach 2017-2018. The Broncos went 11-21 during that time and Joseph was fired, but he was working with a roster full of deficiencies, including not having a franchise quarterback.

With such a strong defensive scheme, Joseph could perhaps have a better run as a head coach if he lands in the right situation.

After practice on Thursday, Joseph was asked for his thoughts about being mentioned among head coach candidates this season. Joseph had a perfect response.

“I don’t have a thought about it right now because, thank God this league has seasons, right?” Joseph said. “You know, we have an offseason, you have a draft season — right now it’s play and win season. So for me, my entire focus is this [upcoming] football game and winning games and coaching right now. That stuff takes care of itself down the road.

“There’s a season for that stuff, but right now, for me, it doesn’t even have a place for me. I’m so busy right now. My mind’s on this team, a young defense who’s playing good football, they keep improving each week, to get ahead of the adversity before it strikes, that’s my focus. But obviously, being mentioned is cool, but right now my mind’s not there.”

https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/1849550307161686274

Joseph’s focused on the task at hand. He’ll turn his attention to any potential head coach interviews after the season ends.

If the Broncos do end up losing Joseph, they have an excellent in-house candidate to replace him in defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Jim Leonhard, a former college coach who had drawn interest from NFL teams as a DC candidate before landing in Denver this offseason.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]