After a shocking 2-7 start to the season that has most probably quashed the Saints’ hopes for a playoff, the franchise has made a decision to fire coach Dennis Allen. And to be fair, all things considered, it’s not a surprise to hear this decision come to life.

Per NFL insider Adam Schefter, there’s another coaching change in the league with New Orleans, removing Coach Allen from the helm. So, that means the least-paid HC in the league (with $3.5 million) has been asked to pack up his bags.

Now, don’t worry about Allen too much. While the exact terms of his contract haven’t been made public, NFL coaching contracts typically come with guaranteed money. Yeah, in the event the franchise wishes to fire the coach (like in this case), the coach does walk away with a decent chunk of change. Think of it as a “thanks for trying” severance for the guy steering the ship during a storm.

It’s common for head coaches to have buyout clauses, and given Allen’s record, he probably planned for this possibility. I mean, it’s not to disrespect him, but his record as an HC is just not ‘it’ to flaunt.

He’s no stranger to the ups and downs of coaching, and while his time as a head coach didn’t quite sparkle, his reputation as a defensive coordinator still holds weight. After all, Allen’s defensive play-calling is why he got this gig in the first place.

Dennis Allen’s time as Saints HC has been far from OK!

This midseason firing marks a first for the Saints since Tom Benson took over the franchise back in 1985. The last time New Orleans made an in-season coaching change? In 1980, when they let go of HC Nolan after an 0-12 skid. And Dennis Allen’s record wasn’t exactly playoff material either, wrapping up his Saints head coaching career at 18-25.

Allen’s tenure in New Orleans stretches way back—he’s practically part of the furniture (or as old as some). Sean Payton first brought him on as an assistant defensive line coach in 2006, and by 2009, Allen was a key part of the Super Bowl-winning team’s defensive backbone. His recent run as head coach might be a bit sour, but Saints fans haven’t forgotten his contributions to their 2009 glory.

Though Allen took over much of Payton’s staff when he stepped up in 2022, by his third season, the team bore more of Allen’s own stamp, including QB Derek Carr, his old Raiders pick from 2014. Fun fact: Allen’s tenure with the Raiders was a rough 8-28, ending with a swift 0-4 start in his third season. Safe to say, New Orleans did not see anything new. And if you ask about the firing, it had been coming.

Allen returned to New Orleans in 2015, taking over defensive duties from Rob Ryan and holding down the coordinator spot until he succeeded Payton. Now, even GM Mickey Loomis couldn’t shield him after this losing streak—yup, the same Loomis who saved him from the 9-8 2023 record. It’s the end of an era, no matter how shabby it was. But hey, in the NFL, isn’t it always “next man up”?