The 2025 New Orleans Saints schedule was officially unveiled Wednesday evening, and we now know where and when the Kellen Moore era will kick off.
The Saints didn't land a single prime time game for the first time in a quarter century, but will be featured in the afternoon time slot five times. There will be no Thursday or Monday kickoffs.
This year the Saints will have an extra road game, but will host two preseason games.
All the games listed below are official
PRESEASON
- Week 1: Saints at Chargers, Aug. 10, 3:05 p.m.
- Week 2: Jaguars at Saints, Aug. 17, noon
- Week 3: Broncos at Saints, Aug. 23, noon
REGULAR SEASON
- WEEK 1: Cardinals at Saints, Sept. 7, noon (CBS)
Quick take: Saints will open at home for the third consecutive season, and they'll now open with a home game for the 7th time in 8 years. One of those games was technically in Jacksonville due to Hurricane Ida. The Saints have fared very well of late in season-opening games, holding the NFL's active record for consecutive Week 1 wins. The last loss in a season-opener came to the Fitzmagic Bucs to start the 2018 season. The biggest question for the Saints in this matchup (and for much of the season) will be: Who starts at QB? Arizona is coming off an uneven 8-9 season, but with an established QB and playmakers they'll certainly be favored in this game.
- WEEK 2: 49ers at Saints, Sept. 14, noon (FOX)
Quick take: When you hear about the ease of the Saints' schedule next season, this game feels a bit misrepresented. Yes, the 49ers are coming off a dismally disappointing season, but much like the Saints they can point to injuries as the biggest issue. They shipped out Deebo Samuel, but with CMC back in action, Brock Purdy playing for a massive contract and a stacked defensive roster, this figures to be a tough matchup for whichever QB the Saints roll out there.
- WEEK 3: Saints at Seahawks, Sept. 21, 3:05 p.m. (CBS
Quick take: The Klint Kubiak offense has shipped out to Seattle -- along with several other familiar coaches -- and the Saints won't have to wait long to see how it all looks. This will be the first time the Saints get to see Sam Darnold in person since his NFL resurgence, but he has fared well against New Orleans' defense in the past. The Seahawks were a fringe playoff team last year but will look quite different this time around.
- WEEK 4: Saints at Bills, Sept. 28, noon (CBS)
- WEEK 5: Giants at Saints, Oct. 5, noon (CBS)
Quick take: This is another game that could look drastically different based on the QB position. Will it be Russell Wilson or Jaxson Dart at QB for the Giants? Either way the Saints will have to contend with one of the more fierce DL groups on paper, with rookie Abdul Carter joining Kayvon Thibodeaux, Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence. The Saints will be facing the Giants for a third season in a row and should be evenly matched, but if the Saints can't pass protect well at this point in the season, it could get ugly.
- WEEK 6: Patriots at Saints, Oct. 12, 3:25 p.m. (CBS)
Quick take: It's hard to know what to expect from the Patriots in Year 1 of Mike Vrabel and in Year 2 of Drake Maye. This is the season where New England is sure to enter with renewed expectations and in the position the Saints hope to be in next year. These two teams are in similar situations, but I don't think the Patriots have the weapons. That WR room is rough and throwing WAYYY too much money at Stefon Diggs isn't going to save it. This should be a winnable game for New Orleans.
- WEEK 7: Saints at Bears, Oct. 19, noon (FOX)
- WEEK 8: Bucs at Saints, Oct. 26, 3:05 p.m. (FOX)
- WEEK 9: Saints at Rams, Nov. 2, 3:05 p.m. (FOX)
Quick take: The Saints have struggled against the Rams in recent years and the way this sets up won't help. New Orleans will be heading cross-country and the Rams will be coming off of a bye.
- WEEK 10: Saints at Panthers, No. 9, noon (FOX)
Quick take: This feels like it'll be the point in the season where the Saints have either been pleasantly surprising and competitive, or the playoff wheels are starting to fall off. This also feels like a make-or-break year for Bryce Young. He showed positive signs in 2024 and the Panthers have gotten him some weapons in the passing game. One of my bigger questions for the Saints will be how the rebuilt secondary can hold up against bigger WRs, and the Panthers have exactly that in rookie Tet McMillan (6-5, 212 pounds) and 2nd-year pro Xavier Legette (6-3, 227 pounds).
- WEEK 11: BYE WEEK
- WEEK 12: Falcons at Saints, Nov. 23, 3:25 p.m. (FOX)
Quick take: Regardless of how this season goes, these matchups against the Falcons will be fun to watch. Is Tyler Shough starting? We know Michael Penix will be handed the ball barring unforeseen circumstances. I think the Saints take this one.
- WEEK 13: Saints at Dolphins, Nov. 30, 3:25 p.m. (FOX)
Quick take: The Dolphins certainly aren't the AFC darlings they once seemed to be. Can Tua Tagovailoa get to this point in the season healthy? We'll have to wait and see. Getting this game in December at least feels like a weather win. It's a rest loss, though, with the Dolphins coming off a bye in Week 12.
- WEEK 14: Saints at Bucs. Dec. 7, noon (CBS)
- WEEK 15: Panthers at Saints, Dec. 14, 3:25 p.m. (FOX)
- WEEK 16: Jets at Saints, Dec. 21, noon (CBS)
Quick take: This is the type of game that's tough to predict now and heck, it might be tough to predict at the midway point of the season. How does Justin Fields as the Jets' new starter? They were in a position to draft a rookie QB but opted not to, so you'd figure he's the guy barring injury. But where are the Saints at this point? If they started Rattler to begin the year, have they made the Shough switch yet? If Shough started from Day 1, is this where he hits a rookie wall? Has be been benched? There are so many variables. Hopefully this game matters for more than just player development.
- WEEK 17: Saints at Titans, Dec. 28, noon (CBS)
Quick take: A rookie vs rookie showdown? I think the only way Tyler Shough isn't starting by this point is if this season goes really well. So I wouldn't complain if that's the case. A look at Cam Ward will be fun, and I'll never complain about a trip to Nashville around New Years.
- WEEK 18: Saints at Falcons, TBD
Quick take: Finishing out your season with back-to-back road games isn't exactly ideal if you're in the playoff chase, but it might be if you're already talking about draft picks. We'll have to wait and see.