Sources: Saints tap Dennis Allen to replace Sean Payton
NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Saints have promoted defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to head coach, two people familiar with the decision said Monday.
The people spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Saints have not announced their chosen replacement for Sean Payton, who resigned nearly two weeks ago after 16 years with the club.
ESPN first reported the Saints’ decision to promote from within after the club also had interviewed outside candidates, including former Miami coach Brian Flores, Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
Allen, 49, is in his second stint with the Saints. He was their secondary coach when they won the Super Bowl in the 2009 season. He left New Orleans in 2011 to become Denver’s defensive coordinator before taking his first and only other head coaching position with Oakland Raiders in 2012.
He was fired by the Raiders four games into the 2014 season and returned to the Saints as a senior defensive assistant in 2015 before eventually taking over as defensive coordinator late that season when Payton fired Rob Ryan.
The Saints have ranked in the top seven in the NFL defensively during the past two seasons.
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