The 2025 New Orleans Saints season felt like taking two steps back to eventually move forward. Following a miserable five-win campaign and the abrupt retirement of Derek Carr, the franchise hit the reset button by hiring head coach Kellen Moore. To ignite a youth movement, New Orleans drafted offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. and quarterback Tyler Shough. They supplemented the roster with veteran free agents like receiver Brandin Cooks, guard David Edwards, and tight end Noah Fant. Transitioning to a young roster proved painful, as the Saints staggered to a 6-11 record. They finished fourth in the NFC South and missed the postseason, yet the real story focused on building a foundation for the future.

Offensively, Moore brought a pass-heavy scheme that generated 591 passing attempts compared to 435 rushing attempts, though the unit ranked just 28th in points (18.0 ppg) and 23rd in yards. The quarterback position was a revolving door early as Spencer Rattler went 1-7 in his starts, throwing for 1,586 yards, 8 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. The offense clicked when rookie Tyler Shough took over, throwing for 2,384 yards, 10 touchdowns and 6 interceptions to register a 91.3 passer rating. Wideout Chris Olave carried the aerial load with a spectacular 100-reception, 1,163-yard, 9-touchdown campaign, while tight end Juwan Johnson added 889 yards. Alvin Kamara provided backfield stability with 471 rushing yards, though the low-scoring group struggled to consistently finish drives.

While the offense went through massive growing pains, the defense remained remarkably resilient, keeping games competitive by finishing 16th in points allowed (22.5 ppg) and 9th in total yards surrendered. The timeless Demario Davis headlined the linebacking corps at 36 years old, racking up a team-high 143 combined tackles. Up front, the pass rush regained its bite as veteran Cameron Jordan registered 10.5 sacks, while edge Chase Young proved dynamic with 10.0 sacks. The secondary featured an effective blend of youth and experience; rookie safety Jonas Sanker logged two interceptions, while cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry emerged as a shutdown force, racking up 3 interceptions and 17 passes defended. The stingy pass defense ranked fourth in the league.

The season opened with a disastrous 0-4 start against Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, and Buffalo. New Orleans spiraled further, bottoming out at 1-8 before a brilliant December turning point arrived. Behind Shough’s spark, the Saints orchestrated a four-game winning streak, knocking off rival Tampa Bay 24-20, sweeping Carolina 20-17, clobbering the Jets 29-6, and outlasting Tennessee 34-26. Though they missed the playoffs and dropped the finale to Atlanta, this stretch redefined their year. Chris Olave earned second-team All-Pro honors, Rashid Shaheed made the Pro Bowl, and Tyler Shough finished as the runner-up for the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The late surge transformed an ugly 6-11 transition year into an essential bridge toward future contention.