NEW ORLEANS — Darren Rizzi is emerging as an unexpected candidate for the head coaching position of the New Orleans Saints, but that doesn’t rule out the possibility of him being appointed permanently.
The Saints, who currently hold a record of 4-7, were grappling with a seven-game losing streak when Rizzi, their special teams coordinator, stepped into the role. Since his promotion, the team has turned their fortunes around, achieving two consecutive victories. As the squad enters their Week 12 bye, key players are already voicing their support for Rizzi and hope that his tenure as head coach can continue to evolve positively.
“He’s definitely had an impact on our football team,” said quarterback Derek Carr after the Saints secured a 35-14 victory over Cleveland. “We want to keep winning so that maybe he gets a chance to be the coach here for a long time. That’s what we want as players,” Carr emphasized, expressing hope that continued success would afford Rizzi the opportunity he clearly deserves.
Prior to the Saints’ disheartening loss to Carolina, which led to the dismissal of head coach Dennis Allen, Rizzi had yet to experience head coaching at either the NFL or significant college level. Originally from North Jersey and a former tight end at Rhode Island, he began his head coaching career in 1999 at Division II New Haven. After coaching his alma mater in 2008, he migrated to the NFL, joining Miami in 2009 as a special teams assistant. Rizzi ascended to special teams coordinator by 2010 and was promoted to associate head coach in 2017. His reputation caught the attention of Sean Payton, who brought Rizzi to New Orleans in 2019.
Rizzi and Payton share a link through their time under the mentorship of Bill Parcells, renowned for his two Super Bowl victories with the New York Giants. Payton was serving as the offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys when Parcells was head coach, while Rizzi got acquainted with Parcells during his early years at Miami, where the former was executive vice president of football operations. Rizzi has consulted both Payton and Parcells since taking over as interim coach, incorporating motivational strategies reminiscent of Payton’s tenure, during which he became the franchise’s all-time leader in wins.
Payton was known for utilizing symbolic items and motivational tools, like distributing baseball bats or leaving gas cans for aging players to inspire them. Rizzi, describing himself as a “blue collar” individual, adds his own flair to this philosophy. He began his leadership by urging players to take personal accountability for the team’s struggles, emphasizing the importance of collective effort in overcoming adversity. To illustrate this point, he even brought a shovel and various tools to team meetings, reinforcing the notion of filling the metaphorical hole the team had dug themselves into, one step at a time.
Taysom Hill, a tight end and special teams player with a strong bond to Rizzi after five years of working together, noted that Rizzi’s work ethic and vitality have struck a chord with the team. Hill praised his coach for making numerous adjustments, altering the team’s weekly schedule and reorganizing lockers by position. “He has a really good pulse on what we need collectively as a team to get ready for a football game,” Hill stated, reflecting on how players are responding to the changes implemented.
With Rizzi’s first victory occurring against the top-ranked Atlanta Falcons, and following the Falcons’ latest defeat, the Saints now find themselves only two games behind Atlanta with six matches left to play. The potential for the Saints to remain competitive in the upcoming games is beginning to seem realistic. “We’re starting to get our swag back, and that makes me happy,” Rizzi remarked. He added, “We’re going to have some downtime now to kind of press the reset button again and see if we can make a push here.”
When the Saints return to compete at home against the Los Angeles Rams on December 1, they’ll do so carrying newfound momentum and positivity, a sharp contrast to the struggles faced prior to Rizzi’s promotion. Although many players have attributed Allen’s firing to their shortcomings, they openly credit Rizzi with guiding the team back on track. “He’s pointed us and steered the ship in the right direction,” Carr said, encapsulating the team’s sentiment as they strive for continued improvement. “Hopefully, we can just keep executing at a high level for him, because we love him.”