Saints keeping Dennis Allen as head coach

The New Orleans Saints will be retaining Dennis Allen as the head coach into the 2023 season, general manager Mickey Loomis confirmed on Friday. Allen was promoted to head coach in 2022 from the defensive coordinator position after Sean Payton announced his retirement.

Under Allen’s leadership, the Saints underwent their first losing season since 2016, going 7-10 in the 2022 season.

Allen spent seven seasons as New Orleans’ defensive coordinator under Payton, and previously served as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders between 2012 and 2014, where he went 8-28 before being fired four weeks into the 2014 season.

The Saints struggled this season after starting quarterback Jameis Winston suffered a back injury early in the season. Andy Dalton was later named the starter for the remainder of the season. The season’s highlights included wins over the Seahawks and the Eagles and a shutout against the Raiders.