If you look at the New Orleans Saints record for the 2025 season, it's easy to just see a 6-11 finish and think, "Man, they're still stuck in the mud." But honestly? That doesn't tell even half the story. If you're just glancing at the standings, you're missing the weirdest, most hopeful collapse-to-climb journey I've seen in years.
They started 2-10. Seriously. It was the kind of start that makes fans want to wear bags over their heads again like it’s 1980. Then, something just... clicked.
The 2025 Rollercoaster
First-year head coach Kellen Moore had a rough entry. He was hired in February 2025, and by May, his veteran quarterback Derek Carr decided to hang it up and retire. Moore was left holding the bag. Most teams would have rolled over and died, especially after losing eight games in a row through the middle of the season.
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But look at how they finished. They won four of their last five games. That’s not a fluke; that’s a locker room that actually bought into what Moore was selling. They beat the Buccaneers on the road, took down the Panthers, and absolutely dismantled the Jets 29-6. Even though they dropped the finale to the Falcons 19-17, the vibe in New Orleans is different now. It’s not "we’re bad," it’s "we’re finally getting somewhere."
New Orleans Saints Record: A Historical Reality Check
You've gotta understand the baggage here. The Saints didn't even have a winning season for the first twenty years of their existence. Not one. From 1967 until Jim Mora showed up in 1987, the New Orleans Saints record was basically a joke to the rest of the NFL.
We’re talking about a franchise with an all-time regular season record of 423-491-5. It’s the tenth-worst in the league. People forget that because of the Sean Payton and Drew Brees era where they were basically a lock for 10+ wins every single year.
- Super Bowl History: 1 appearance, 1 win (Super Bowl XLIV).
- Playoff Record: 10-13.
- Total Losing Seasons: 33.
The Drew Brees years were an anomaly, not the rule. Since he retired, the team has struggled to find a steady pulse. They went 9-8, 7-10, 9-8, 5-12, and now 6-11. It's been a lot of "almost but not quite."
The Tyler Shough Factor
What really changed the math for the New Orleans Saints record moving forward was the emergence of Tyler Shough. The rookie quarterback, who they grabbed in the second round, didn't even start the year as the "guy." But by the end of December, he looked like the real deal.
Mickey Loomis and Kellen Moore just held a press conference on January 7, 2026, and they flat-out committed to Shough as the franchise starter for next season. It’s the first time since Brees left that the team isn't looking for a "bridge" or a "reclamation project." They've got their dude. He’s 26, which is old for a rookie, but the poise he showed in that four-game win streak was exactly what this city needed to see.
Why the Defense is Sneaky Good
While the offense was figuring out how to score more than 13 points, the defense was actually holding things together. They finished the 2025 season ranked 9th in total yards allowed. That’s wild for a 6-win team.
Brandon Staley, the defensive coordinator, somehow made this unit elite despite the offense's constant three-and-outs early in the year. If the offense can even be "average" next year, that 6-11 record could easily flip to 10-7 or 11-6.
What Most People Miss About the NFC South
The NFC South is, to put it politely, a mess. The Panthers won the division this year with an 8-9 record. The Buccaneers and Falcons were right there at 8-9 too.
Basically, the Saints were only two games away from winning the division despite starting 2-10. That's the beauty—and the absolute horror—of this division. You're never really out of it. Because the competition is so mediocre, a team like the Saints can afford a rebuilding year and still be "in the hunt" until December.
Actionable Insights for Saints Fans
If you’re looking at the New Orleans Saints record and trying to figure out if it's safe to buy season tickets for 2026, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the O-Line: Kelvin Banks Jr. had a monster rookie year in run blocking, but he needs to protect Shough better. If they don't address the right tackle spot in the draft, Shough is going to be running for his life.
- Free Agency is Key: The Saints are always in "cap hell," but Mickey Loomis usually finds a way. They need a veteran receiver to help Chris Olave, who was the only consistent threat this year.
- The Schedule Flip: After finishing last in the division, they'll get a "fourth-place schedule" in 2026. This means they'll play other bottom-feeders from the NFC North and East, which is a massive advantage for a team on the rise.
The 2025 season was a failure on paper, sure. But for anyone who actually watched the games in December, it felt like the start of something. The New Orleans Saints record doesn't show the grit it took to keep that locker room together during an eight-game losing streak. That's the kind of stuff that builds culture.
Keep a close eye on the 2026 NFL Draft. If the Saints can snag another high-impact defensive tackle to replace the aging vets, they might just go from the basement to the top of the NFC South in twelve months. It’s happened before in New Orleans, and with the division this wide open, there's no reason it can't happen again.