The New Orleans Saints' head coaching search has officially come to an end. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Saints have hired defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to be their next head coach.

Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will replace former head coach Sean Payton as the leader of the franchise. Allen briefly held the role of interim head coach during the regular season for one game when Payton, who had tested positive for COVID-19, was forced to miss the Saints' game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Now Allen will have the role for the foreseeable future moving forward. New Orleans had interviewed Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy, former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, though they opted to stay within the organization with their next coach.

Allen, 49, has been an NFL coach since the 2002-03 season, where he started his career on the sidelines with the Atlanta Falcons as a defensive quality control coordinator. He served as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders from 2012-2014, where he compiled an 8-28 record.

Allen was seen as the favorite for the Saints head coach job both because of his experience with the franchise as well as his impressive effort in the role earlier this season.

Dennis Allen didn't fare particularly well in his first stint as a head coach, though this upcoming tenure with the Saints will be a clean slate with chance to lead the franchise into a new era.