Saints Expected To Hire DC Dennis Allen As Next Head Coach

The New Orleans Saints are expected to hire current defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as their next head coach.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Monday evening that the team informed Allen of the news.

OutKick's Glenn Guilbeau reported Saturday morning that the team was leading to promote the defensive coordinator to head coach after former Saints head coach Sean Payton informed the team he was retiring at the end of January.

The team also interviewed former NFL head coaches Brian Flores and Doug Pederson, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi for the job.

Allen was a member of Payton's original coaching staff in 2006 as an assistant defensive line coach and served as secondary coach when the 2009 Saints won the Super Bowl, ESPN reports. In 2011, he left to become the Denver Broncos' defensive coordinator and the Raiders' head coach from 2012-2014.

Allen was fired four games into his last season with the Raiders and rejoined the Saints as a senior defensive assistant in 2015, and became the defensive coordinator in 2015 after Rob Ryan was fired — he has held the role since.

ESPN reports the 49-year-old former DC worked to transform a unit that ranked 32nd in points allowed and 31st in yards allowed during that 2015 season.