New Orleans Saints facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New Orleans Saints
Current season
Logo Wordmark Uniforms
Basic info
Established	November 1, 1966; 58 years ago (1966-11-01)
Colors	Old gold, black, white
Fight song	"When the Saints Go Marching In"
Mascot	Gumbo, Sir Saint
Personnel
Owner(s)	Gayle Benson
President	Dennis Lauscha
General manager	Mickey Loomis
Head coach	Darren Rizzi (interim)
Nicknames
The Black and Gold The Dome Patrol The Bless You Boys The Who Dats
Team history
New Orleans Saints (1967–present)
Home fields
Tulane Stadium (1967–1974) Caesars Superdome (1975, 2006–present) Temporary stadiums 2005 due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina: Tiger Stadium (four games) Alamodome (three games) Giants Stadium (one game) 2021 due to the effect of Hurricane Ida: TIAA Bank Field (one game)
League / conference affiliations
National Football League (1967–present) Eastern Conference (1967–1969) Capitol Division (1967; 1969) Century Division (1968) National Football Conference (1970–present) NFC West (1970–2001) NFC South (2002–present)
Championships
League championships: 1 Super Bowl championships: 1 2009 (XLIV)
Conference championships: 1 NFC: 2009
Division championships: 9 NFC West: 1991, 2000 NFC South: 2006, 2009, 2011, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Playoff appearances (14)
NFL: 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Owner(s)
John W. Mecom Jr. (1966–1985) Tom Benson (1985–2018) Gayle Benson (2018–present)

New Orleans Saints headquarters and practice facility

The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team from New Orleans, Louisiana. They play in the National Football League (NFL) as part of the National Football Conference (NFC) South Division. The team's home games are played at Caesars Superdome, where they have been since 1975. Before that, they used Tulane Stadium for their first eight seasons. The Saints were started on November 1, 1966, and joined the NFL in 1967 as a new team.

For many years, the Saints struggled and did not have winning seasons or make the playoffs. Their first winning record and playoff spot came in 1987. They won their first playoff game in 2000, which was their 34th season. The team became much better in the 2000s and 2010s. Their biggest success was in the 2009 season, when they won Super Bowl XLIV. They beat the Indianapolis Colts in their first and only Super Bowl appearance. The Saints are one of only two NFL teams to win the Super Bowl in their only appearance.

Team History

How the Saints Started

A local businessman named Dave Dixon and a group from New Orleans worked for over five years to get an NFL team. They even hosted popular NFL exhibition games. To help with the NFL-AFL merger, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle came to New Orleans. On November 1, 1966, he announced that New Orleans would get a new NFL team. The team was named after "When the Saints Go Marching In", a famous jazz song from New Orleans. Dixon wanted the announcement on November 1 to match All Saints' Day. He even got approval from the local Archbishop, who thought the team "was going to need all the help it could get."

The John Mecom Jr. Years (1967–1984)

John W. Mecom Jr., an oilman from Houston, became the team's first main owner. The team's colors, black and gold, represented his ties to the oil industry. Their first head coach was Tom Fears. The Saints' first game was on September 17, 1967. Receiver John Gilliam returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, but they lost 27–13 to the Los Angeles Rams. This 3–11 season set an NFL record for most wins by a new team.

For most of their first 20 years, the Saints usually finished last in their division. In 1979 and 1983, they had even records (meaning they won as many games as they lost). A famous moment happened on November 8, 1970. Tom Dempsey kicked an NFL record 63-yard field goal to beat the Detroit Lions 19–17 as time ran out. This record stood for 43 years until 2013. In 1980, the Saints lost their first 14 games. This led local sportscaster Bernard "Buddy D" Diliberto to suggest fans wear paper bags over their heads. Many bags called the team the "'Aints".

The Benson Era (1985–Present)

Tom Benson, a successful businessman, bought the team in 1985. He hired Jim Finks as general manager and Jim Mora as head coach. This new leadership helped the Saints achieve their first winning record and playoff appearance in 1987. They went 12–3 that year. They made the playoffs again in 1990 and won their first division title in 1991. During Mora's time, the Saints reached the playoffs four times. Their teams were known for strong defenses, especially the "Dome Patrol" linebackers. However, they never won a playoff game under Mora. He coached until the middle of the 1996 season. His 93 wins were more than the Saints had won in their entire history before he arrived.

Coaching Changes and a First Playoff Win

After Mora, former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka took over from 1997 to 1999. His time was not successful, with the team going 6–10 in his first two seasons. In the 1999 NFL draft, Ditka traded many draft picks to get running back Ricky Williams. Ditka and most of his staff were fired after a 3–13 record in 1999.

Jim Haslett became head coach from 2000 to 2005. In his first year, he led the team to the playoffs with a 10–6 record. They beat the defending Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams for the team's first-ever playoff win. They lost the next week to the Minnesota Vikings. Haslett was fired after the 2005 season, when the Saints finished 3–13. They also did not play any home games in New Orleans that year due to Hurricane Katrina.

Hurricane Katrina's Impact

Tiger Stadium was one of the stadiums that hosted the Saints in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina.

Hurricane Katrina caused a lot of damage to the Superdome and New Orleans in 2005. The Saints' home games were moved. Their first home game was played at Giants Stadium. The rest of their 2005 home games were split between the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, and Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The Sean Payton and Drew Brees Era (2006–2021)

On January 17, 2006, the Saints hired Sean Payton as their new head coach. On March 14, they signed former San Diego Chargers quarterback Drew Brees. After a big renovation, the Superdome was ready for the 2006 season. On September 19, the Saints announced they had sold out all season tickets for the first time ever.

The home opener on September 25 was the first game back in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The Saints won 23–3 against the undefeated Atlanta Falcons. This game was ESPN's highest-rated program at the time. Green Day and U2 performed before the game. It is famous for Steve Gleason's blocked punt that led to a touchdown for New Orleans. The game won an ESPY award for "Best Moment in Sports."

On December 17, the Saints won their third division title and first NFC South title. They finished the regular season with a 10–6 record. They then beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27–24 in the Superdome in the playoffs. This was only the second playoff win in team history. The season ended when they lost to the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship Game.

Sean Payton was the head coach of the team from 2006 to 2021.

The Saints had a disappointing 7–9 record in 2007 and an 8–8 record in 2008. They missed the playoffs both years. However, their offense was very strong. Drew Brees almost broke the single-season passing yards record in 2008.

Super Bowl XLIV Champions (2009)

Quarterback Drew Brees was named MVP in Super Bowl XLIV.

The 2009 season was the team's most successful. They won their first 13 games, which was their best start ever. This earned them a spot in the NFC playoffs and a first-round break. They set a record for the longest undefeated start by an NFC team since the NFL merger. They eventually lost their last three regular-season games. However, the Saints became the first team to win a Super Bowl after losing their last three regular-season games.

The team reached the 2009 NFC Championship game. They defeated the Minnesota Vikings 31–28 in overtime. This sent them to their first-ever Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XLIV, they won against the Indianapolis Colts. Many people saw this Super Bowl win as a symbol of New Orleans recovering after Hurricane Katrina.

In 2010, the Saints started the season by beating the Minnesota Vikings 14–9. This was a rematch of the NFC Championship game. They made the playoffs again, becoming the first NFC South team to make back-to-back playoff appearances. They lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the wild-card game.

The 2011 season started with a loss, but the Saints quickly improved. They finished with a 13–3 record and won the NFC South title. Drew Brees broke the single-season passing record that year. They beat the Detroit Lions in the wild-card playoff game. However, they lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the next round.

The 2012 season was tough due to a team issue (the bounty scandal) that led to head coach Sean Payton being suspended for the whole year. The team started with four straight losses. Drew Brees broke Johnny Unitas's record for consecutive games with a touchdown pass. The team finished 7–9. Their defense allowed a record 7,042 yards that season.

In 2013, the Saints started 5–0. They finished the season with an 11–5 record and made the playoffs as a wild card. They won their first road playoff game in team history against the Philadelphia Eagles. They then lost to the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle.

The Saints finished 7–9 in 2014 and 2015, missing the playoffs both times. Their defense struggled a lot during these years, setting some unwanted NFL records for points and yards allowed. In 2015, Drew Brees tied the NFL record for touchdown passes in a game with 7. In 2016, they finished 7–9 again. Their offense was still very good, but the defense continued to struggle.

In 2017, the Saints started 0–2 but then won 8 games in a row. They finished 11–5 and won the NFC South. Their defense improved a lot, partly due to a great group of new players drafted that year. They beat the Carolina Panthers in the wild-card round. But they lost to the Minnesota Vikings in the divisional round in a shocking play known as the "Minneapolis Miracle".

On March 15, 2018, owner Tom Benson passed away. His wife, Gayle Benson, became the new owner. In 2018, the Saints finished 13–3 and won the NFC South. They beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the playoffs but lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship game. This game had a very controversial ending.

In 2019, the Saints again finished 13–3 and won the NFC South. They lost to the Minnesota Vikings in overtime in the Wild Card Round. In 2020, they won the NFC South with a 12–4 record. They beat the Chicago Bears in the Wild Card Round but lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round. This was Drew Brees's last game.

After Drew Brees retired, the Saints used several different quarterbacks in 2021. They finished 9–8 and missed the playoffs. On January 25, 2022, Sean Payton stepped down as head coach after 15 seasons. He had a record of 152–89 in the regular season and 9–8 in the playoffs.

Dennis Allen Years (2022–2024)

The team promoted defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to head coach on February 8, 2022. The Saints finished the 2022 season with a 7–10 record and missed the playoffs. In 2023, they brought in a new quarterback, Derek Carr. Despite having one of the easiest schedules, they finished 9–8 and missed the playoffs for the third straight season. Dennis Allen was fired on November 4, 2024, after a 2–7 start to the season.

Team Colors and Uniforms

The fleur-de-lis is the symbol of the Saints.

Logo from 1967 to 1984

Black, gold, and white have always been the Saints' team colors. The first owner, John W. Mecom Jr., wanted a different blue color. But the NFL said it was too similar to the San Diego Chargers. Mecom chose black as the main color because of his ties to the petroleum industry. "Black gold" is another name for oil.

The Saints' logo and uniforms have mostly stayed the same since 1967. The team's logo is a fleur-de-lis, which is a symbol of New Orleans. Their uniform has gold helmets, gold pants, and either black or white jerseys. Small changes have been made to the stripes over the years. In 1969, they wore black helmets during preseason, but the NFL commissioner stopped them from using them in the regular season. Black helmets were finally allowed in 2022.

The Saints often wore white jerseys at home when they played at Tulane Stadium (1967–1974). This was to make opponents suffer in their darker jerseys in the hot New Orleans weather. In 1975, they switched to white pants when they moved to the Superdome. They have worn white at home many times since then.

In 2001, the Saints became the first NFL team to wear all-black uniforms in a road game against the Carolina Panthers. In 2002, they wore black pants with their white jerseys. They also had a gold alternate jersey and a 1967-style throwback uniform. The gold alternate jersey was only worn once. The throwback uniform was worn a few times, including in 2011 and 2016.

In 2006, to celebrate their return to Louisiana, the Saints wore a special patch on their uniforms. It showed an outline of Louisiana with a fleur-de-lis. Since 2008, the Saints have worn white jerseys at home for preseason and early regular-season games.

In 2016, the NFL started the Color Rush program. The Saints' Color Rush uniform is white with gold numbers and black trim. It also has gold and black stripes on the sleeves, like their old uniforms. They wear these with white pants and all-white socks. They first wore this uniform in 2016. In 2019, they introduced a version with plain white pants. They wore all-white uniforms when they went undefeated at home (8–0) that season.

In 2022, the Saints showed off an alternate black helmet. It has a gold fleur-de-lis and a pattern of small gold fleur-de-lis logos. These black helmets are worn with the Color Rush uniforms. They were first worn in an NFL London Game in October 2022.

Home Stadium

The Superdome has been the home of the Saints since 1975.

The Caesars Superdome is the Saints' home stadium. It can hold over 70,000 fans. The Saints have a perfect record there against the Houston Texans (2–0). However, they have never won a game there against the Baltimore Ravens (0–2).

Team Rivalries

Divisional Rivals

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are the Saints' oldest rivals. Both teams were the first NFL teams in the southern United States in the late 1960s. They were both in the NFC West division until 2002. Now, they are both in the NFC South. They play each other twice a season, and there is a strong rivalry between the two cities. As of the 2024 season, the series is tied 56-56.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Saints have a growing rivalry with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They have been in the NFC South together since 2002. The Saints lead the overall series 40–25. The teams played each other often even before they were in the same division. In 1977, the Buccaneers got their first win in team history against the Saints, after starting 0–26. On January 17, 2021, the two teams played in the playoffs for the first time. Tampa Bay won 30–20, even though New Orleans had beaten them twice in the regular season.

Carolina Panthers

The Saints and the Carolina Panthers have been division rivals since Carolina joined the league in 1995. They were first in the NFC West and then in the NFC South since 2002. Carolina won against New Orleans on the road every year from 2002 to 2008. A notable game was in 1996 when Carolina's win led to Saints coach Jim Mora's famous "Diddley Poo" speech and resignation. In 2005, the Saints won an emotional game against Carolina after Hurricane Katrina. On January 7, 2018, the teams met in the NFL playoffs for the first time. The Saints won 31–26, eliminating Carolina. As of the 2023 season, the Saints lead the all-time series 31–28.

Conference Rivals

Minnesota Vikings

The Saints have a strong playoff rivalry with the Minnesota Vikings. They have played many important games against each other. As of the 2023 season, the Vikings lead the overall series 25–13, and they have a 4–1 record against the Saints in the playoffs.

Los Angeles Rams

The Saints and the Los Angeles Rams used to be fierce division rivals when the Saints were in the NFC West until 2002. Their rivalry became strong again in the 2010s. This was partly because of the "Bountygate Scandal" involving former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who later joined the Rams. There was a lot of tension between the teams, especially during the controversial 2018 NFC Championship Game. In that game, a key play was missed by the referees, which angered the Saints. As of the 2023 season, the teams are tied 1–1 in the playoffs, but the Rams lead the all-time series 44–35.

Team Records

Single-Game Records

• Passing yards: 510 Drew Brees (November 19, 2006, vs Cincinnati Bengals)
• Passing touchdowns: 7 Drew Brees (November 1, 2015, vs New York Giants) Tied NFL record
• Rushing yards: 206 George Rogers (September 4, 1983, vs St. Louis Cardinals)
• Rushing touchdowns: 6 Alvin Kamara (December 25, 2020, vs Minnesota Vikings) Tied NFL record
• Receptions: 16 Michael Thomas (September 9, 2018, vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
• Receiving yards: 211 Michael Thomas (November 4, 2018, vs Los Angeles Rams)
• Receiving touchdowns: 4 Joe Horn (December 14, 2003, vs New York Giants)
• Kickoff return yards: 304 Tyrone Hughes (October 23, 1994, vs Los Angeles Rams) NFL record
• Longest field goal: 63 yards Tom Dempsey (November 8, 1970, vs Detroit Lions)
• Total touchdowns: 6 Alvin Kamara (December 25, 2020, vs Minnesota Vikings) Tied NFL record
• Points scored, team: 62 (October 23, 2011, vs Indianapolis Colts)
• First downs: 40 (November 10, 2013, vs Dallas Cowboys) NFL record

Super Bowl Appearance(s)

Single-Season Records

• Passing yards: 5,476 Drew Brees (2011)
• Passing touchdowns: 46 Drew Brees (2011)
• Rushing yards: 1,674 George Rogers (1981)
• Rushing touchdowns: 16 Alvin Kamara (2020)
• Receptions: 149 Michael Thomas (2019) – NFL record
• Receiving yards: 1,725 Michael Thomas (2019)
• Receiving touchdowns: 16 Jimmy Graham (2013)
• Quarterback sacks: 17 Pat Swilling (1991) and La'Roi Glover (2000)
• Points: 147 John Kasay (2011)
• Total touchdowns: 21 Alvin Kamara (2020)
• All-purpose yards: 2,696 Darren Sproles (2011) – NFL record
• Points scored (team): 547 (2011)

Career Records

• Passing yards: 68,010 Drew Brees (2006–2020)
• Passing touchdowns: 491 Drew Brees (2006–2020)
• Rushing yards: 6,500 Mark Ingram II (2011–2018, 2021–2022)
• Rushing touchdowns: 54 Alvin Kamara (2017–2023)
• Receptions: 711 Marques Colston (2006–2015)
• Receiving yards: 9,759 Marques Colston (2006–2015)
• Receiving touchdowns: 72 Marques Colston (2006–2015)
• Quarterback sacks: 123 Rickey Jackson (1981–1993)
• Points: 1,318 Morten Andersen (1982–1994)
• Total touchdowns: 78 Alvin Kamara (2017–2023)

Famous Players and Coaches

Pro Football Hall of Famers

Before 2010, no Saints players were in the Hall of Fame mainly for their time with the team. Rickey Jackson was the first in 2010. Willie Roaf was the second in 2012, and Morten Andersen was the third in 2017. Sam Mills became the fourth in 2022.

Super Bowl MVPs

Ring of Honor

On October 9, 2013, the Saints started a Ring of Honor to celebrate important players and people who helped the team. Their names are shown at the Caesars Superdome. The first three people honored were Archie Manning, Rickey Jackson, and Willie Roaf.

Cheerleaders

Saintsations performing at halftime

The Saints Cheer Krewe is the cheerleading squad for the Saints. A cheerleading team has been with the Saints since the team started. The squad was known as the Saintsations from 1987 to 2021. The current name, Saints Cheer Krewe, was adopted in 2021.

Radio and Television

Map of radio affiliates.

The Saints' main radio station is WWL (870 AM/105.3 FM). It is one of the oldest and most powerful radio stations in New Orleans. Mike Hoss is the play-by-play announcer, and former Saints running back Deuce McAllister is the color commentator. Most preseason games are shown on WVUE (Channel 8). WVUE also shows most of the Saints' regular season games because it is the Fox affiliate in New Orleans. Regular season games are also shown on WWL-TV (CBS) and WDSU (NBC) for Sunday Night Football.

Images for kids

• 

  Archie Manning, pictured attempting a pass in 1980, was one of the first players to be inducted into the Saints' Ring of Honor.