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Saints announce Darren Rizzi as their special teams coordinator

Miami Dolphins v Cincinnati Bengals

CINCINNATI, OH - OCTOBER 7: Associate head coach/special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi of the Miami Dolphins yells at Martrell Spaight #53 after he was given an unsportsmanlike penalty for taunting during the third quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on October 7, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images)

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There was word early this month that the Saints were making a change at the top of their special teams coaching staff and they confirmed it on Monday.

Darren Rizzi has been hired as their new special teams coordinator. He takes the place of Bradford Banta, who was let go along with assistant special teams coach Kevin O’Dea and senior assistant Mike Westhoff after the Saints lost in the NFC Championship Game.

Rizzi ran the special teams for the Dolphins from 2011 to 2018 and also had an assistant head coach title in his final years in Miami. Rizzi interviewed for the Dolphins head coaching job before they hired Brian Flores and also met with the Packers before taking the job in New Orleans.

The Dolphins hired Danny Crossman to run special teams on Flores’ staff in 2019.