Darren

Rizzi

Rizzi took over as the Saints’ interim head coach during the 2024 season. Both the Saints and Jets interviewed Rizzi for their head-coaching vacancies the following summer. Rizzi ended up reuniting with Broncos head coach Sean Payton instead. Payton had previously hired him as the Saints’ special teams coordinator back in 2019.

The signing reunites Rizzi with Broncos head coach Sean Payton, who hired him with the Saints back in 2019. The Broncos already featured a solid special teams unit, ranking eighth in the NFL with an 87.5 PFF special teams grade. Rizzi’s top-tier coaching should only further strengthen it. The assistant head coaching role will help Rizzi develop his leaderships skills and increase his odds of securing a future head coaching role.

Should the hire come to fruition, Rizzi will reunite with Sean Payton, who hired Rizzi as the Saints’ special teams coordinator back in 2019. Rapoport notes “Rizzi has been the favorite in Denver for some time, though the Broncos will conduct a full and complete search for their new ST coordinator.”

Rizzi has been linked to over a half-dozen teams in various capacities, with the report indicating he could be lured to the Bears to form a star-studded cast of new coaches under new head coach Ben Johnson in a complete turnover. The report comes after rumors swirled that Johnson was likely to bring on former Saints head coach Dennis Allen to serve as his defensive coordinator, potentially drawing another link to Rizzi, who previously served as the special teams coordinator under Allen in New Orleans. There are still many dominoes to fall in this year’s coaching cycle but top candidates appear to be flying off the shelf.

Rizzi took over as the Saints interim head coach after Dennis Allen was fired following his 2-7 start. Rizzi’s Saints went 3-5 under his watch, which included wins over the Falcons and Browns in his first two games. Rizzi wasn’t given much to work with during his role as interim HC, as Derek Carr, Chris Olave, and Rashid Shaeed were sidelined for all or most of his eight weeks long tenure. Rizzi caught the eyes of Jets brass and interviewed for their head coaching job last week. It seems unlikely the Saints would hire Rizzi with so many “big-name” coaches available, but he’s a familiar face who has been with the organization since 2019, which could bear some weight in the decision-making process.

Rizzi took over as the Saints interim head coach after Dennis Allen was fired mid-season. He previously held the title of special teams coordinator in New Orleans. Rizzi has held the title of special teams coordinator for over two decades between his time in the college and pro ranks. The Saints went a pedestrian 3-5 after he took over in New Orleans. Rizzi has also earned an interview for the Saints’ full-time head coaching job, though he is unlikely to be either team’s first choice.

Rizzi’s troops went 3-5 despite several weeks without Derek Carr down the stretch, playing much more inspired defense than they had been under the deposed Dennis Allen. Rizzi is interviewing for the Saints job in-house, but it isn’t a surprise that the Jets are adding him to their interview circuit because they are currently interviewing everyone they can, including you. Yes, you. Get to work on what your defensive staff would look like, your interview is Friday.

A special teams coordinator who had the assistant head coach label added to his mantle in 2022, Rizzi has been with the Saints since 2019. The long-time Dolphins special teams coordinator has not been a head coach since he handled things for the 2008 Rhode Island Rams. We mostly expect the status quo to rule in New Orleans as the season peters out for the Saints, though Rizzi noted that “they’ll evaluate everything and see if changes are needed ... maybe change is needed” and called the product “unacceptable” at his initial presser.

The Saints started the season with a 2-0 record while outscoring opponents 91-29. Since then, the team has lost seven straight games while looking increasingly uncompetitive, but the final straw was Week 9’s 23-22 loss to the Panthers. Allen did his best to rebuild his reputation as the former Raiders’ coach who went 8-28 from 2012-2014, and at times, appeared to have the Saints moving in the right direction. Last year he delivered a 9-8 season after winning four of his team’s final five games, but this is clearly a roster that’s trending toward a complete overhaul. The team is expected to name special teams coach Darren Rizzi, who interviewed for the Saints’ head coaching job in 2022, as its interim head coach. Allen’s tenure with the Saints went just over two seasons, and his final record with the team is a disappointing 18-25. It seems unlikely he would be a candidate for any head coaching jobs in the future after two failed stints.

Rizzi, 51, just wrapped up his third season as the Saints’ special teams coach. He has previous head coaching experience at the low levels of college, coaching New Haven from 1999-2001 and then Rhode Island in 2008. We’d consider Rizzi an extreme long shot to get the New Orleans job.