Darren Rizzi: Meet the New Orleans Saints Interim Coach | Saints

Now it's up to Darren Rizzi to help the New Orleans Saints again for the rest of the season.

Rizzi, in his sixth season as the Saints' special teams coordinator, was named interim coach after the Saints fired Dennis Allen on Monday.

Here's more on Rizzi, who takes over a team that lost its seventh straight game with a 23-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Where is Darren Rizzi from?

Rizzi is from New Jersey. He attended Bergen Catholic High School and attended college at the University of Rhode Island.

How much coaching experience does he have?

Rizzi, 54, began coaching in 1993 as an assistant at Colgate University. He coached at the collegiate level until being named special teams coordinator for the Miami Dolphins in 2010. He remained there until Sean Payton hired him to fill the same role with the Saints in 2019. In addition to being in charge of the Saints' special teams, he was promoted to the team's associate head coach by Dennis Allen in 2022.

Does he have experience as a head coach?

Yes. Rizzi was the head coach at the University of New Haven, a Division II school in Connecticut, for three seasons (1999-2001). He also spent a year as head coach at Rhode Island in 2008. He compiled an 18-23 record in his four seasons as a head coach.

What other coaching experience does he have outside of special teams?

Rizzi's other roles as an assistant at the college level include: defensive line coach, linebackers coach and defensive coordinator.

Why did they choose Darren Rizzi over other coordinators?

Rizzi has been with the Saints since 2019, giving him more experience than second-year defensive coordinator Joe Woods and first-year offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Rizzi also holds the title of assistant head coach and was therefore next in line to fill that role. His personality and media knowledge make him a good fit for what the team needs now.

Can a special teams coach be successful?

History says yes. Bill Belichick, one of the greatest coaches in NFL history, made a name for himself as a special teams coordinator before landing his first head coaching job. Some other notable coaches with special teams experience include Bill Cowher and John Harbaugh, both Super Bowl winners as head coaches.

Would Darren Rizzi be considered as a permanent head coach?

It's too early to say that. We know he had a dream of becoming a head coach before. He interviewed for the head coaching job of the Miami Dolphins in 2019, but the team hired Brian Flores. The Saints are an organization that welcomes people they are familiar with. Rizzi has been in the building since 2019. He is well respected throughout the league, especially when it comes to special teams. (He played a key role in the new kickoff rules implemented this season.) How the Saints play in the final eight weeks of the season would help his case greatly.