Watching the interviews after the New Orleans Saints lost its season finale to Atlanta, there was one word that was prominent in the questions and answers.
Optimism.
Whether it was Head Coach Kellen Moore or the players at the podium, the reporters asked them all how optimistic this team is moving forward.
By winning four of the last five games, finding a starting quarterback in rookie Tyler Shough and having a defense finish ninth overall in the NFL. There are several reasons for the Saints to feel optimistic about the future.
However, this organization and fanbase were far from optimistic with how the 2025 season started. With the youngest head coach in the NFL, Moore is 37 now, and a roster mostly of players that went 5-12 in 2024. The Saints sputtered to a 1-8 record at the midway point of the season.
However, the NFL season is a marathon, and it is never how you start but how you finish. It took some time but in the second half of the season, the Saints began playing better.
Once defensive end Chase Young returned from injury and rookies Jonas Sanker and Quincy Riley became starters in the secondary; the defense took steps in becoming a solid unit. Yes, they gave up points and explosive plays, but this defense went from the middle of the pack to start the season to ninth overall. That does not happen overnight; it comes with being consistent and trusting what is being taught at practice.
While the defense was finding its footing throughout the season, the offense was still sputtering and needed a spark. Spencer Rattler was named the starter at the beginning of the season and rightfully so. But when turnovers became an issue, Moore gave the ball to Shough and never looked back.
I am sure when the Saints chose Shough with the 40th pick of the draft, a collective “Who Dat” could be heard among Saints fans. The chant was not for the pick; it was, who is this guy?
But, after beating Carolina and Tampa Bay, everyone associated with the NFL learned his name quickly. We can look at his stats, but Shough did two things NFL quarterbacks are judged on the most. He had a winning record (5-4) in the games he started, and he engineered three fourth-quarter comebacks. Winning games and doing it in crunch time is why he is a strong candidate to win the NFC Rookie of the Year Award.
With a head coach that has a plan, a young quarterback with moxie and a defense that is as stout as they come, optimism should run rampant among Saints fans. Also playing in a winnable NFC South is another reason to be excited for next season. Look, the Saints still have issues to fix, personnel decisions to make, and a much tougher schedule in 2026. But the 2025 season felt like the beginning of something that is going to get good, real soon.
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Teddy Renois is an award-winning sports journalist.