Dennis Allen being fired by the New Orleans Saints after Sunday's 23-22 road loss to the Carolina Panther sis nothing short of unsurprising.

The Saints continued to hit new lows (something that has been a bit of a trend as it is this season) as they declined to a seven-game losing streak. Injuries, poor play, and other elements have contributed to the Saints' misfortune, but there is no question that coaching also played a role.

The players don't appear to be shocked by the move, either, with Katherine Terrell of ESPN reporting that one player told her that Allen's firing was "a message heard loud and clear."

With the number of players like Cam Jordan who have taken the time to apologize to the fan base on social media after games and some of the discord related to family members of current Saints players or former Saints players themselves that has occurred on social media, it's clear Allen had lost any true loyalty or following well before this decision was made.

"Dennis has been part of our organization for many years. He is highly regarded within the NFL. He has been extremely loyal and professional and most importantly an excellent football coach for us. All of this makes today very tough for me and our organization," the statement from Saints owner Gayle Benson read. "However, this decision is something that I felt we needed to make at this time. I wish nothing but the best in the future for Dennis and his family."

Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi will serve as the interim head coach as the Saints begin their search for a replacement.

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This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Dennis Allen's firing was a 'message heard loud and clear'