PODCAST: Reacting to Kellen Moore & Mickey Loomis in Saints' End-of-Year Presser

On this episode of State of the Saints, TJ Jones reacts to the Saints’ end-of-year press conference featuring GM Mickey Loomis and head coach Kellen Moore. The conversation is a season wrap plus a forward-looking roadmap — what went wrong in 2025, what the Saints feel good about, and what has to be built the right way heading into 2026.

TJ gives Kellen Moore credit for improving as the season progressed, especially late in the year when things could’ve gone sideways. Loomis echoes that sentiment, praising Moore’s ability to handle adversity in a first head coaching season and suggesting the organization is encouraged by how Moore navigated the ups and downs. (0:06–0:12, 3:11–4:02, 10:30–10:58)

A major theme from both Loomis and Moore is culture — “special people,” connection, and buy-in from players and staff. TJ highlights that this isn’t just press-conference talk in their minds, it’s the core argument for why they believe the Saints can transition into 2026 without a full teardown mentality, even if they’re clearly pivoting into a new phase. (2:48–3:02, 24:05–24:28)

The presser also addresses how Derek Carr’s retirement altered planning, even if the Saints already knew they needed a quarterback of the future. TJ’s takeaway is that Carr’s departure accelerated the organization’s willingness to embrace a reset, and it sped up the shift toward a more defined rebuild approach. (8:13–10:04)

Moore expresses confidence in the staff, and TJ largely expects continuity. The one spot TJ flags as potentially vulnerable is special teams, suggesting Phil Galliano could be the coach most likely to face scrutiny given the struggles in that phase. (6:41–8:11)

One of the most encouraging parts of the conversation is how much excitement there is around the 2025 rookie group. TJ and the presser both highlight young players stepping up — names like Kelvin, Tyler, Yonas Sanker, and Devin Neil — and TJ connects it to the bigger roster-building truth: sustainable success comes from consistently hitting on draft picks, not just one splash move. (16:21–18:10)

Loomis and Moore discuss the end-of-season evaluation process, which leads into contract talk — including the possibility of extending Chris Olave. TJ argues Olave deserves to be paid like a top receiver, even if TJ stops short of saying Olave must be the single highest-paid wideout. Alvin Kamara also comes up as a culture-and-production centerpiece, with his belief and importance reaffirmed going into 2026. (0:37–0:41, 12:38–16:10, 29:36–30:00)

The presser spends time on the quarterback room, and TJ leans into the optimism around the young QBs — especially Tyler Shough — and how Moore’s staff developed them. Loomis and TJ both acknowledge the balancing act: expectations are high, but Shough is still a second-year player who hasn’t logged a full season of starts, so the development timeline still matters. TJ also argues Shough’s talent can become a “magnet” that attracts players and coaches to New Orleans. Spencer Rattler’s status is discussed in the broader QB context as well. (28:05–33:11, 30:22–31:49, 36:08–37:54)

A notable moment is Loomis admitting he’s been “overly patient” in building the organization, and that he believes patience pays off long-term. TJ frames it as an interesting window into how the Saints think — steady, methodical, sometimes to a fault — and how that mindset will shape the rebuild into 2026. (31:51–32:40)

If you want the clearest read on where the Saints think they are right now, this episode is the one. TJ breaks down Loomis and Moore’s messaging on culture, staff stability, rookie optimism, the QB room’s direction, and the reality that 2026 is about building something sustainable — not just chasing a quick fix.