We learned shortly after the dismissal of Dennis Allen that Saints owner Gayle Benson spearheaded the move, according to NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill. He detailed how Benson met with multiple players and traded emails to get a gauge where things were. Now we can add another interesting tidbit to the mix.
SI.com's Albert Breer shared some very interesting insight on the team's decision to fire Allen on Wednesday morning, which clearly shows there was division. However, it's what he said on the fans that is particularly intriguing after things reached a 'breaking point'.
One nugget I picked up the past couple of days is that this decision was very much driven by ownership, with Gayle Benson reaching a breaking point with the team’s struggles over the past few weeks. GM Mickey Loomis, I’m told, didn’t want to pull the plug on Allen yet, but Benson and her group was hearing from the fan base in a way they hadn’t before, and their resolve was strengthened through that, to the point where perception inside the building holds that Allen might’ve been fired Monday even if he’d beaten the Carolina Panthers.
Loomis told WWL Radio on Tuesday evening that the circumstances created the record and added that the team was unable to overcome the injuries. He cited losing three offensive linemen, the top two wideouts and the starting quarterback in his interview.
As we learn more about how things unraveled for New Orleans, the reality just didn't match the optics and what was being said in the building.
