Rich Storry-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS, La. – For the longest time, the New Orleans Saints have been viewed as the only show in town on a Sunday during the NFL season. Week 13 was proof that is no longer the case and the NFL club can no longer rest on its history and reputation, it must provide results.
During the Nov. 30 Saints matchup with the Miami Dolphins, the Louisiana sports world was buzzing, but it didn’t have much to do with the Saints. While a heartwarming debut for kicker Charlie Smyth and the long-awaited breakout for wide receiver Devaughn Vele provided bright spots, the 2-10 Saints were no longer the talk of the town on an NFL Sunday.
Instead, the LSU Tigers’s pursuit and acquisition of new head coach Lane Kiffin dominated the attention of the state and every Sunday night sportscast. The Saints have become a B-block story at best despite all of the hope initially harnessed for its new era before the season.
That doesn’t mean that the Saints’ days of commanding the market are through. Not even close. A season of five to seven wins in 2026 is likely to ignite the hopes of dreams of fans across the Gulf Coast. Perform better than that, and the Saints are right back in the focus of every sports conversation in the area. But that potential for improvement only feels further away after each game is played this year.
But for now, New Orleans’ steep decline is illustrated by their gamedays being preempted by a collegiate coaching hire, albeit a very important one.
In fact, some might argue that the Saints weren’t even the biggest sports story in New Orleans on Sunday. With Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall accepting the same role with the Florida Gators but still being allowed to coach the surging Green Wave team into the postseason, the Saints’ slow starts, run game struggles and young talent may have been eclipsed for some in their own hometown.
Many are already considering the 2025 NFL season over, waiting for the team’s draft position to settle (currently holding the No. 2 overall pick) and watching highlights after the game to see the bright spots the team has to offer. Development of the young talent has surpassed the games themselves in importance, many fans have expressed.
The Saints can no longer hang their hat on their previous success. Those days are over for team owner Gayle Benson and general manager Mickey Loomis.
If the organization wants to maintain the hearts of its typically devoted and loyal fanbase, it’ll have to do so by proving that there’s success left ahead rather than pushing what can be remembered.
Between 2006 and 2020, the Saints were the fourth-winningest franchise in the NFL with a 62.5% win percentage. Since, that number has plummeted to 40%, tied for No. 24 in the NFL. There’s a clear indication that the team’s previous success is tied to the pairing of former head coach Sean Payton and former quarterback Drew Brees rather than the decision-makers still in their positions.
That means there’s something for them to prove and they’ll need to start proving it fast.
Sunday should serve as a stark realization that while the Saints may be accustomed to being the biggest ticket in town, they are now being overshadowed elsewhere. The good news is that the New Orleans Pelicans NBA franchise has a much worse outlook, despite having its own young talent to tout.
But even that fact becomes less consoling for the movers and shakers that control both professional franchises who are now being outpaced by collegiate academic programs.
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