By Ross Jackson
After improving their record to 6-11 last year, the arrow for the New Orleans Saints is trending in the right direction. A large part of the reason why has been the work of second-year head coach Kellen Moore.
Moore was hired by the Saints after winning a Super Bowl as the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive coordinator following the 2024-25 season. He was the last hire of the cycle, which drew criticism from many who viewed the New Orleans hire through the lens of the Saints settling for “leftovers.” However, Moore’s first year as a head coach proved those evaluations wrong.
Now, the coach has his quarterback, Tyler Shough, at the helm and has helped to build both a roster and culture ready to compete. After a strong free agency class, one of the franchise’s strongest in many years, Moore is now on a path for Coach of the Year consideration in 2026.
FanDuel Sportsbook has the Saints head coach tied for the third-best odds (+1200) going into the NFL Draft for the honor.
Such an award can’t be won with a strong offseason. The team will have to turn things around after its five-year playoff drought on the field in order for the offensive playcaller to receive such an acknowledgement.
But if the Saints do what they intend and win the NFC South this year after finishing in the basement of the division last year, Moore’s name will be commonly referenced in conversations around the end of year award.
Moore would deserve heavy consideration if he turned the fourth-place NFC South Saints into division winners, but also for his ability to create camaraderie across the roster. From bonding events that benefit the community to expanding player leadership beyond Team Captain status, Moore’s approach proved to be massively successful in 2025.
The team started 1-7 before making an in-season quarterback change and then fell to 2-10 before putting together a four-game win streak as the season closed. The head coach’s attention to personalities, team chemistry and the club’s culture all helped the roster stay together and navigate the tough start to the season.
Moore spoke often about “weathering the storm” throughout the year. It appears the Saints did exactly that and are now on the trajectory necessary to build a contender. The culture held the team together, yes. But it also expanded its talent pool. The Saints’ fruitful and aggressive approach to free agency brings even more impact and promise for Moore’s second year.
With a developing and promising quarterback at the helm, a strong defense looking to build on a stellar 2025 and new talent coming in to help bolster what the Saints already had to offer, Coach of the Year conversation doesn’t just feel possible. It feels inevitable.
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