The New Orleans Saints recently fired Dennis Allen, and since that happened, current and former Saints players have been making it clear they weren’t the biggest fan of him. Many people suspected that was the case while Allen was still in charge, and legendary corner Richard Sherman even said the team played like they wanted to be fired.
While New Orleans wasn’t actually throwing games, a lot of players did want Allen gone. While something like that builds over time, there is always a breaking point where the feeling officially sets in. Former Saints lineman James Hurst, who retired this offseason, recently revealed when that breaking point was for many players in the locker room.
Speaking on WDSU after Allen’s firing, Hurst admitted Allen officially lost the locker room in Week 18 of the 2023 season. Going back to the infamous fake kneel, when Saints players went rouge to get Jamaal Williams a touchdown in a blowout win over the Atlanta Falcons, Hurst explained how the team was disappointed Allen didn’t defend them.
Admitting that what they did was wrong, the locker room believed Allen should’ve defended them in front of the world, and scolded them internally. Instead, they felt Allen left them out to dry.
WDSU analyst and former #Saints offensive lineman James Hurst with some interesting insight on head coach Dennis Allen being fired.
— Fletcher Mackel (@FletcherWDSU) November 5, 2024
The cracks in the foundation started last season in the Falcons game. pic.twitter.com/Er9WCrz5H0
Dennis Allen lost the Saints locker room at the end of the 2023 season
Hurst went on to detail how following that incident, general manager Mickey Loomis came in to speak with the team the next morning. Since Loomis addressing the team was rare, players assumed Allen was about to be fired. According to Hurst, they were shocked he wasn’t.
That happened at the end of last season. That means this season was always doomed. Very rarely can a team with a clear divide between players and a head coach actually have success.
Coincidentally, one coach who was notoriously defending the team during that situation was special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi. Rizzi was captured going right back at former Falcons coach Arthur Smith.
Our New Interim Head Coach Darren Rizzi ⚜️
— Boot Krewe Media (@BootKreweMedia) November 4, 2024
pic.twitter.com/7yico9s4Mo
Now, Rizzi is the interim head coach in New Orleans, and the locker room is ready to go to war for him. The Saints will have their first opportunity to do that against none other than the Falcons, at home in the Superdome.