On December 3, 2024, the New Orleans Saints secured a narrow 14-11 victory over the New York Giants in a game marked by a tense interaction between the Saints‘ interim head coach, Darren Rizzi, and punter Matthew Hayball.
During the game, the Saints allowed a punt return touchdown by the Giants, although the play was nullified due to a holding penalty on New York.
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However, Hayball’s mistake in attempting to stop the punt returner angered Rizzi, who did not hesitate to reprimand the player on the sideline.
Kamara steps in to defend Hayball
The coach openly showed his frustration, which caught the attention of the Saints‘ star running back, Alvin Kamara. Kamara intervened to calm Rizzi and prevent the situation from escalating further.
Despite the intensity of the exchange, many NFL fans expressed their support for Rizzi because of his passion and commitment to the team. In such a competitive environment, coaches often expect perfection from their players, and Rizzi’s reaction reflected the high standards he sets for the team.
Rizzi explains himself after the game
After the game, Rizzi explained his stance: “Is that what you’re calling it, a passionate exchange? I’m passionate about everything. Everyone has a job to do. And he wasn’t executing the game plan. I’ll say this. His last punt, the last two.”
Despite the rebuke, Rizzi praised Hayball for his performance on the subsequent punts: “Hayball’s last punt was excellent, and it really helped us. Actually, I think his last two punts, particularly the second-to-last one, were really, really good.”
Meanwhile, the Giants, coached by Brian Daboll, suffered another loss, dropping their record to 2-11. The team missed a crucial field goal attempt to tie the game, leaving Giants fans resigned but relieved by the prospect of securing the first overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.