The New Orleans Saints didn't come out of the gates like anyone wanted to see in 2025, stumbling to a 1-8 start before officially making the switch to Tyler Shough at quarterback.
But what they've done since? A record of 4-2 with a failed last-second rally in Miami and the team's first three-game winning streak since 2022 with a pair of winnable games left to play. It's a scenario that has Saints GM Mickey Loomis looking at the positives with a first-year head coach and a team holding its course in a trying year.
“I know we’re moving the right direction, maybe not as fast as you’d like it to be," Loomis told Mike Hoss on WWL Radio this week. "Obviously didn’t expect to start as poorly as we did in terms of the wins and losses. ... it’s challenging mentally for your entire organization, but I wouldn’t say that we were discouraged in terms of the direction we’re headed.”
Hear the full, exclusive interview with Saints GM Mickey Loomis in the player above. Can't see the embed? Click here.
One of the major reasons for optimism is Shough, whom the team picked No. 40 overall in the most recent draft. It was a pick that drew some loud criticism due to Shough's age and injury history. That only grew louder when the team opted to start the year with Spencer Rattler at QB after a protracted competition. The Saints viewed that sideline development as an important time for the rookie QB and it's appeared to pay off, with Shough featuring veteran-like composure in back-to-back wins over division rivals in the Panthers and Bucs in December, with both games including game-winning drives in the 4th quarter.
Still, Loomis said he isn't rushing to crown the young QB. There's still a long way to go.
"All the things that we saw in the offseason, during training camp, just reinforced the things that we liked about him during the [draft] evaluation," Loomis said. "I just think it’s unfair to label any player, particularly a quarterback, after one year or after even two years. It just takes a while for these guys to get comfortable, to get close to their potential. There’s a development process here and for anyone to make these judgements after, you know, six or seven or eight starts, or 10 starts, is just – it’s insane."
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Shough and the Saints will have two more opportunities to show that development, the first coming in a matchup with the Titans and No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. The Saints will finish out there 2025 slate against the Falcons in Atlanta, and if you were wondering about the team's investment in winning as opposed to draft positioning, the GM put that to rest.
"We want to win these next two games and continue that momentum," Loomis said. "I think getting used to winning, finding ways to win games is more important than where you draft. We’ll find a way to take advantage of our draft picks regardless of where we end up picking, so I’m not in the category of let’s lose games and improve our draft position. That doesn’t appeal to me. I think the other side of that is more important."
The Saints (5-10) face the Titans (3-12) at noon, Sunday at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Catch all the action on WWL and Audacy.
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MORE FROM LOOMIS
Thoughts on how Kellen Moore has handled Year 1 as head coach
“I don’t really want to give an evaluation of our coach after 14 games, but look, I think the No. 1 thing here, and it’s easy to see, is that he’s a really genuine and authentic person as a coach, and the players feel that, and they responded to it. It’s really easy to get down and not be positive when you’re in the middle of a, you know, 1-8 or 2-10 season, and man … he was the same every day, very positive. ... He talks a lot about the process and I think the players, again, have responded to that. When things aren’t going well, the last thing you want from a head coach is, you know, being berated or Debbie downer-type of attitude, and he’s never like that, and then in terms of being a head coach, there’s a lot of nuance to it and I think he’s done a really good job and I see improvement every day and a self-evaluation and reflectiveness about him that, hey, I could’ve done that better, here’s how I’ll do it next time, so it’s been really good.”
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On future for veteran players like Cam Jordan and Demario Davis
“What those guys bring to the table is just really remarkable, you know, when you have a tough season and you’re out of the playoffs as early as we were and, you know, you’re a young team that you’re developing a lot of players, listen, it’s easy … and human nature for veterans to kind of check out a little bit, and I’m just so proud of our veterans and there’s a lot of guys in this category, but led by Demario and Cam and, you know, and Alvin and these guys … and Taysom … and they have been absolutely stellar in terms of being engaged, in terms of being professionals, encouraging the young players, keeping the energy level and the professionalism at a really, really high level, and that’s a credit to them and look, those guys have produced, they’ve played, they are really good players and they’re showing that they’re good players.
"Any discussion about next year, you know, that’s for after the season and really, that’s in their hands as much as it is in mine … and we’ll have those discussions. We have them every year with, like, Cam and Demario, we have them – I have a sitdown with them after every season and just talk about, OK, what do you want to do and how does that fit for where we’re going and so we’ll have that again, but I can’t say enough great things about really all the veteran players on our team that have stepped up and got us to a point in the season where I think we all feel really optimistic about the future.”
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On Chris Olave's bounceback season?
“We’re proud of Chris. Last year was a tough year on him. It was a tough year on him physically and really probably a tough year on him mentally, and so for him to come back and just produce week in and week out, it’s a credit to him, a credit to his grit, you know, the things that he brings to the table from a skillset are unique and he’s been a bellcow for us and just real proud of him. He gets a little overshadowed by our record, but he’s … had as good a season at receiver as anyone in the league and that’s a credit to him given, you know, the quarterback position has been a little unsettled, had two different guys in there and so he’s done really well and we’re proud of him and glad to have him.”
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How do you handle outside noise/criticism of your performance?
“It doesn’t bother me. Honestly I don’t really hear it. I get a lot more support, direct support than I get criticism, so it doesn’t bother me. I’m gonna do my job and as long as Mrs. [Gayle Benson] and the football staff is pleased, that’s the only people that I need to satisfy.”