Saints News: Dennis Allen Takes Charge, Mills' Enshrinement, Kamara's Troubles, and the Black Head Coach

The recent Saints news has been dominated with reports on the new head coach, a legend's enshrinement, "uncharacteristic" behavior from a star player, and the NFL's dubious record in hiring black head coaches.

Author:
Kyle T. Mosley
Updated:
Feb 11, 2022 8:12 PM EST
Original:
Feb 11, 2022

In this story:

New Orleans Saints

A change has come in New Orleans. The recent Saints news has been dominated with reports on the new head coach, a legend's enshrinement, "uncharacteristic" behavior from a star player, and the NFL's dubious record in hiring black head coaches.

Saints: Changes in New Orleans

Sam Mills Headed to Canton

The Dome Patrol's leader will finally be enshrined in Canton. Sam Mills led the best linebacker corps to ever battle on the gridiron. Last night, his teammate Rickey Jackson welcomed Mills into the Pro Football Hall of Fame at the 11th edition of the NFL Honors program held in Los Angeles. I watched Mills, Jackson, Pat Swilling, and Vaughan Johnson - The Dome Patrol - manhandle opposing offenses en route to the Saints' four visits to the postseason.

Mills richly deserved his induction into the hallowed halls of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The 5-9 and 229-pound competitor overcame enormous odds before, during, and after playing professional football. It's only fitting that in his final stance, journalist Jeff Duncan would finally convince his fellow Hall voters that Sam Mills' candidacy deserved the recognition to be immortalized as one of the greatest football players of all time.

Dennis Allen: A New Sheriff is in New Orleans

Dennis Allen was the obvious and correct choice in New Orleans. Besides his experience within the Saints organization, Allen would make a seamless transition from Sean Payton's 16-season rule.

Just as a lion takes over his pride and discards remnants of the past leader, the new head coach is rapidly assembling the team of assistants he wants in New Orleans. Former Sean Payton disciples like offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, assistant head and receivers coach Curtis "C.J." Johnson (interviewing in Miami), strength and conditioning coach Dan Dalrymple, offensive line coach Brendon Nugent, and offensive analyst Jim Chaney will not return to their positions. However, Carmichael will remain in some capacity with the team.

Doug Marrone, former player and coach with New Orleans, returns as the new offensive line coach. He served as the Saints offensive coordinator under Payton in 2006-08. He left to become Syracuse's head coach from 2009-12. The Buffalo Bills (2013-14) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2017-2020) hired Marrone as head coach before joining the University of Alabama staff in 2021.

Allen interviewed Detroit's secondary and passing game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant for the defensive coordinator role. Also, New Orleans will interview the Indianapolis running backs coach Scottie Montgomery and Dallas wide receivers coach Robert Prince for the vacant offensive coordinator position.

No hires yet. Expect more changes within Allen's staff to be announced.

The Saints, NFL, and Black Head Coaching Candidates

Saints assistant coach Aaron Glenn — Credti: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

NFL has a hiring problem of minority coaches. If this weren't the case, strengthening the Rooney Rule in 2020 to incentivize the owners to have a "fair workplace and diverse hiring practice" would not have been instituted by the league. Still, the owners with head coaching opening in 2020 and 2021 failed to comply. New Orleans had Sean Payton for 16 seasons.

A credit to Mickey Loomis and the head coaching search team, they interviewed several minority candidates - Brian Flores, Eric Bieniemy, Byron Leftwich, and Aaron Glenn were the minority interviewees. Dennis Allen won the job. I believe in many ways, he earned the job while serving as interim head coach and convincingly beating Tampa Bay.

Unfortunately, New Orleans has a dubious track record of not hiring a minority head coach. They join the Bills, Cowboys, Commanders, Falcons, Giants, Jaguars, Panthers, Rams, Ravens, Seahawks, Titans, and Patriots who had never had a Black head coach. Should Dennis Allen have a long tenure with the Saints, no Black or minority head coach will be in Metairie for some time. The face of coaching by that time may change. Possibly, the executive leadership could very well change in New Orleans.

The league has several female assistant coaches. Could there be a possibility of one becoming a head coach? Yes. But for now, where there's 70% of Black players on NFL rosters, the owners must come to terms and present more men who represent the faces of those men on the playing field.

Kamara's Trials and Tribulations in Vegas

Running back Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints — Feb 6, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; NFC running back Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints runs with the ball against the AFC during the Pro Bowl football game at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Alvin Kamara's situation will be difficult for Dennis Allen and New Orleans. Losing the All-Pro star running back for an extended period is highly likely. The Saints and Who Dat Nation will have to sit this one out and wait on the legal maneuvering to play out in Las Vegas.

Nevertheless, New Orleans' offense with or without Kamara will be different. Allen's first NFL offseason and draft process as head coach will be critical to the Saints' 2022 regular-season success.

Loomis will address the salary-cap issues, and Jeff Ireland's team can handle the scouting and personnel moves ahead. Will those decisions include Kamara's absence from the lineup? We shall see.