Worst to First: What Saints must do to go the distance in 2026
How can the Saints go from worst to first in the NFC South in 2026? Only four teams have pulled it off since the NFL introduced its 17-game schedule.
Expectations are higher for the New Orleans Saints in 2026. Kellen Moore's team finished the 2025 season with some real momentum after starting rookie quarterback Tyler Shough down the stretch, and they've had an exciting offseason with additions like running back Travis Etienne Jr. , left guard David Edwards, and linebacker Kaden Elliss in free agency along with wide receiver Jordyn Tyson headlining their rookie draft class.
Could they pull off the rare feat of going from worst to first in their division? It's a trick that only four teams have managed to do since the NFL introduced its 17-game schedule back in 2021. And it happened twice in the AFC South in back to back years.
Last season, two teams -- the New England Patriots, in the AFC East, and the Chicago Bears , in the NFC North -- made the jump. What can the Saints learn from their experiences? Copying those two worst-to-first teams from last year may be difficult.
Both the Patriots and Bears hired new head coaches in the 2025 cycle, introducing rapid culture changes and significantly different playbooks. They also came off extended losing streaks. The Patriots ended up in last place in their division for both 2023 and 2024.
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