Discover how Kellen Moore's steady leadership ignited the Saints' late-season surge, transforming doubt into undeniable momentum.
There is renewed optimism in the New Orleans Saints (6-11) facilities. The Saints have a future, and they have direction. Those were two descriptors that the team did not always seem to have for much of the season.
From an outside perspective the Saints' football team looked rudderless, and without any positive direction of which to speak. Through 12 games, New Orleans had just two wins and could not find a way to consistently get into the win column. Then all of the sudden something changed.
When many describe the shift, much of the credit usually goes to the quarterback who made it all happen. In this case, it was rookie quarterback Tyler Shough who took over a 1-7 Saints squad and turned the team into a winner. Shough finished the season with a 5-4 record as starter in a stint that included four consecutive wins prior to the season finale against the Atlanta Falcons.
The shift did not start and end with Shough. There was another force driving the positive momentum behind the scenes. That driving force was New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore.
The true mark of a great coach is not how hard a team plays when everything is going well. A great coach is able to motivate or cultivate a culture of bringing out his team's very best regardless of circumstances or external factors. Moore was able to do that this season.
It's true that football is a player's game. A game is won and lost with the players on the field. It has always been more about the Jimmy's and Joe's than the X's and O's, or the play calling. Still, Moore's ability to keep the team focused on daily improvement turned the season around and helped the team finally break through at season's end.
Moore has long been known for his offensive ingenuity. His football genius is the reason he quickly rose from Dallas Cowboys backup to the franchise's offensive coordinator before rapidly moving up to head coach within a few years of his first season as offensive play caller. Yet it's possible we underestimated what might be his best trait, Moore's even keel nature.
The Saints did not ride the wave of emotion in 2025, not at least to the degree they could have. The team never quit on its coach when they had reason to doubt him. In the end, the Saints' breakout became inevitable. They were destined to start winning games.
Moore's calm nature will be needed to continue winning in New Orleans. The team's late success will come with expectations. Even so, the Saints are equipped to meet those expectations because of who they have at the wheel.
New Orleans will look to continue its upward trend in Moore's second season next year.