The energy in New Orleans right now is... complicated. If you just look at the 6-11 record from the 2025 season, you’d think the fan base was ready to burn the whole thing down. But walk into a bar on Magazine Street or browse the local forums, and the vibe is actually weirdly upbeat.
So, let's cut to the chase for anyone who hasn't been glued to the sidelines lately: Kellen Moore is the head coach for the New Orleans Saints. He isn't just a "placeholder" or a desperate hire. He’s the guy who just finished a wild first year at the helm, taking over a team that looked like it was heading for a decade of mediocrity and somehow injecting a sense of modern, aggressive football into the Superdome. It wasn't always pretty—that 2-10 start was brutal—but the way they finished has everyone talking about 2026.
How Kellen Moore Landed in the Big Easy
It’s honestly kind of a "stars aligning" story. Moore arrived in New Orleans on February 11, 2025, essentially straight from the Super Bowl victory parade. He was the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles team that took down Kansas City in Super Bowl LIX.
You’ve gotta realize how much of a "get" this was for Mickey Loomis and Gayle Benson.
The Saints were coming off a disastrous 5-12 season under the previous regime and a brief interim stint by Darren Rizzi. They needed a culture shock. Moore, only 36 when he was hired, brought that "young genius" archetype that the league is obsessed with. He became the 19th head coach in the history of the franchise, and he didn't come alone. He basically built a "super-staff" of guys who have been in the fire:
- Doug Nussmeier (Offensive Coordinator): A guy who knows Moore’s brain inside and out.
- Brandon Staley (Defensive Coordinator): The former Chargers head coach who, despite his struggles in LA, is still considered a high-level defensive mind.
- Scott Tolzien (Quarterbacks Coach): A crucial piece for what happened next with the roster.
The 2025 Rollercoaster: From 2-10 to "The Run"
Basically, the first half of Moore's debut season was a nightmare. The Saints started 2-10.
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Fans were losing their minds. The salary cap situation was, as usual, a total mess. And then the biggest bombshell dropped: Derek Carr retired. That could have been the end. Most first-year coaches would have folded or started looking at their contracts' buyout clauses.
Instead, Moore leaned into the youth movement. He stayed remarkably consistent, which is something Demario Davis and Cameron Jordan have both praised in recent weeks. They didn't change the scheme; they just changed the guy pulling the trigger.
Enter Tyler Shough.
Moore’s decision to start the rookie quarterback in Week 9 against the Rams changed everything. By the end of the year, the Saints won four straight games. They finished 6-11, which sounds bad, but that four-game win streak to end the season included some dominant performances, like the blowout against the Jets.
What Makes the Moore Era Different?
For years, the Saints felt like they were trying to recreate the 2009 magic with 2024 parts. It was stagnant. Moore’s offense is... different. It’s twitchy. It uses more motion and creates better "explosive play" opportunities than anything we saw in the post-Sean Payton era.
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Honestly, the most impressive part of Moore’s leadership hasn't been the play-calling, though. It’s been the roster management. He worked with Loomis to navigate a "golden parachute" cap situation created by Carr’s retirement.
The 2025 rookie class, headlined by Shough and left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., was ranked as the best in the NFL by ESPN’s Aaron Schatz. That doesn't happen by accident. It requires a head coach who knows exactly what kind of players fit his system.
The Current Coaching Staff (As of January 2026)
If you're looking for the names currently roaming the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, here is the core group Moore is taking into the 2026 offseason. It’s a mix of returning veterans and Moore's specific hires.
The offensive side is led by Doug Nussmeier, who has been Moore's right-hand man for years. They have Joel Thomas as the Associate Head Coach and Running Backs coach—he’s a Saints lifer who briefly left for the Giants but came back because he believed in Moore’s vision.
On defense, Brandon Staley has revitalized his reputation. The Saints' defense actually climbed to 13th in DVOA by the end of the 2025 season. They’ve also got Phil Galiano running special teams, a promotion that has paid off in a big way.
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Why People Believe in Kellen Moore Now
It’s about the "buy-in." In the NFL, coaches usually lose the locker room when they start 2-10. Moore didn't.
He’s a former quarterback who played for the Lions and Cowboys, and he talks to players like a peer but leads like a veteran. When he stood at the podium with Mickey Loomis on January 7, 2026, for the end-of-season presser, he didn't sound like a guy who just had a losing season. He sounded like a guy who just finished the first chapter of a very long book.
He’s aggressive. He’s young. He’s actually building a roster that fits the 2026 NFL instead of the 2016 NFL.
What to Expect Next for the Saints
The Saints are entering the 2026 offseason with something they haven't had in years: actual cap space (sorta) and a franchise quarterback on a rookie deal. Moore and Loomis have the 2026 NFL Draft to continue the rebuild, with a focus likely on the defensive line and adding more weapons for Shough.
If you’re tracking the team’s progress, keep an eye on how Moore handles free agency this March. It’ll be the first time he’s had real "spending money" to fill specific holes rather than just trying to survive.
To stay updated on Kellen Moore’s moves this offseason, you should regularly check the official Saints Roster page and follow local beat reporters like Nick Underhill, who provide deep-dive analysis on the team's tactical shifts. Watching the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in February will also give you a clear picture of which "Moore-style" players the Saints are targeting to complete this rebuild.