Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
It wasn’t a complete game for Bears defensive coordinator and former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen, but it was enough to get a decisive victory over his former team.
In less than a year, Allen went from becoming the first Saints head coach ousted in-season since the 1980s to receiving a game ball after emerging victorious against his former club in a 26-14 win over the Saints.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson handed Allen the ball in the locker room in a video shared by Bears social media.
“I have one game ball right now,” Johnson said. “I already talked about the defense’s four turnovers. Defense, 44 yards on the ground. Defense, four sacks. Dennis Allen, come here.”
The locker room erupted in applause as Allen stepped forward, accepting the football from Johnson before delivering a simple message.
“Sometimes the good Lord just has a plan for you that you don’t know about,” Allen said. “Sometimes you ain’t good enough for somewhere else. That’s perfectly fine. I love being here. I love being with this group of guys. … But four (wins) ain’t enough. Let’s go get the next one.”
Allen may not have been good enough for New Orleans as a head coach. But he was more than good enough as an opponent to get the win he and his club were clearly excited to get on Sunday.
