NEW ORLEANS >> The New Orleans Saints fired coach Dennis Allen on Monday, a day after a loss at last-place Carolina extended the Saints’ losing streak to seven games — their longest since 1999.

“DA is an excellent football coach,” Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said. “This season, we’ve had an avalanche of injuries. It took its toll. DA has never offered excuses. He fought each day for this organization and this team and that is what makes today disappointing.”

The Saints named special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi the club’s interim coach for the final eight games of what is trending toward a fourth straight season without a playoff berth for New Orleans (2-7).

“This is not a day for celebration,” Rizzi said. “This is a tough day. At the same time, there’s only one way to fight through this.”

The 54-year-old Rizzi said he embraced the challenge he’s inherited because “I embrace everything.”

“I only know how to do things one way. I grew up a little bit of a fighter. I’ve really never really been handed anything,” Rizzi said, noting that he was a walk-on tight end in college at Rhode Island, an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1992 and got his first head coaching job with Division II New Haven in 1999.

“Literally, we’re going to reevaluate everything,” said Rizzi, who considers himself a disciple of two-time Super Bowl winning coach Bill Parcells, who was a Miami Dolphins executive when he gave Rizzi his first NFL job.

“You’re going to reevaluate everybody, everything, staff, the coaches the players,” Rizzi said. “Because, right now, when you lose seven games in a row, you’re obviously not in a place where you can stay status quo.”

Allen went 18-25 without a playoff appearance since taking over in 2022 after Sean Payton, the most successful coach in Saints history, began what turned out to be a one-season retirement from coaching.

Allen was promoted by Loomis after a six-season tenure as New Orleans’ defensive coordinator, a period that saw his unit ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in 2020 and 2021.

“Dennis has been a part of our organization for many years,” Saints owner Gayle Benson said, referring to Allen’s initial stint as a defensive assistant with New Orleans from 2006 to 2010. “He has been extremely loyal and professional.

“All of this makes today very tough for me and our organization,” Benson added. “However, this decision is something that I felt we needed to make at this time.”

In a written statement released by the team, Allen thanked Benson and Loomis for his opportunity, calling the Saints an “organization that will always be near and dear to my heart.”

Allen said he never questioned his players’ dedication and resolve, adding, “I am sorry the results weren’t better, because they were certainly deserved.”

The Saints continued to field one of the better defenses in the NFL during Allen’s first two seasons as head coach, but the offense has been erratic and often struggled in the late stages of close games.