New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen is rebutting claims from the Philadelphia Eagles that his team engaged in dirty play during their recent matchup.
The Saints fell to the Eagles 15-12 on Sunday, a game that was riddled with injuries and contentious moments. The accusations of unsportsmanlike behavior were triggered by several incidents involving Saints defenders Payton Turner and Khristian Boyd. A particularly heated moment came when Turner and Boyd delivered a hit on Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith, dislodging his helmet and forcing him out of the game. Smith was subsequently placed in concussion protocol.
“The dirtiest shit I ever saw in football, bro,” commented Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who was particularly vocal about the alleged dirty play. Gardner-Johnson and several other Eagles players expressed frustrations over what they viewed as excessive aggressiveness from the Saints' defense.
In response, Dennis Allen strongly defended his team's style of play. “I'd say our guys play extremely hard and we're going to compete until the down is over. I don't think we play dirty. I don't think we ever have played dirty. It's not the way we coach it, not the way we teach it, but we do play hard,” Allen stated, emphasizing the team's commitment to a tough but fair approach to football.
The contention did not end with Smith’s injury. Saints right tackle Trevor Penning was penalized for unnecessary roughness after executing an excessive block that sent Eagles safety Darius Slay into the sideline benches. This penalty further inflamed tensions and added to the chorus of accusations from the Eagles' side.
Allen addressed this incident specifically, acknowledging the fervor but underscoring the need for better awareness. “We can't have that. You've got to have some awareness of where you're at on the field. That could've been a really costly penalty. I love the aggressiveness, but at the same time, we can't hurt the team,” he said, balancing his appreciation for Penning’s competitive spirit with a call for smarter play.
Despite the tension-filled game and the injuries that marred it, the Saints head coach remained steadfast in his defense of his players. “Look, nobody wants to see anybody get hurt, nobody's trying to hurt anybody and unfortunately that's part of the business that we're in. No, we don't play dirty. We don't coach dirty, but we do play hard and we do play physical,” Allen reiterated, reflecting on the inherent physicality of football while denying any malicious intent.
The Saints currently stand at 2-1 for the season, a record that suggests competitive potential yet has now been overshadowed by these recent controversies. For some Eagles players, however, these moments of physical play have called the Saints' legitimacy into question. Gardner-Johnson notably labeled them “Pretenders,” a barb that undoubtedly adds fuel to the competitive fire between the two teams.
As the NFL season progresses, the Saints will need to navigate these criticisms while maintaining their aggressive playstyle, ensuring they remain within the boundaries of sportsmanship. Meanwhile, the Eagles will be keenly watching to see if any future games involving the Saints will be marked by similar controversies.