History of New Orleans Saints in Timeline

The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, competing in the NFL's NFC South division. Established in 1966 by John W. Mecom Jr., David Dixon, and the city of New Orleans, they joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1967. Since 1975, their home games have been played at the Caesars Superdome, following their initial eight seasons at Tulane Stadium.

1953: Previous Field Goal Record

In 1953, the previous NFL field goal record was set seven yards less than Tom Dempsey's record-breaking kick in 1970.

November 1, 1966: New Orleans Saints Founded

On November 1, 1966, the New Orleans Saints were founded by John W. Mecom Jr., David Dixon, and the city of New Orleans and joined the NFL as an expansion team.

September 17, 1967: Inaugural Game

On September 17, 1967, the New Orleans Saints played their inaugural game against the Los Angeles Rams at Tulane Stadium. John Gilliam returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, but the Saints lost 27-13.

1967: Saints Predominantly Wore White at Home at Tulane Stadium

From 1967, the Saints predominantly wore white at home when the club played at Tulane Stadium, forcing opponents to suffer in their darker jerseys.

1967: Jim Taylor and Steve Stonebreaker Color Commentators

In 1967, Jim Taylor and Steve Stonebreaker became the color commentator for Saints radio broadcasts.

1967: Saints Join the NFL

In 1967, the New Orleans Saints joined the National Football League (NFL) as an expansion team.

1967: Saints Debut with Consistent Logo and Uniforms

In 1967, the Saints debuted with a fleur-de-lis logo and uniforms consisting of gold helmets, gold pants, and either black or white jerseys.

1968: Hank Stram Influenced Saints' Uniforms with Red Pants Introduction for Chiefs

In 1968, coach Hank Stram introduced red pants to the Kansas City Chiefs' uniforms, influencing the Saints to wear black pants with their white jerseys.

1969: NFL Bars Saints from Using Black Helmets During Regular Season

In 1969, the NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle barred the Saints from using black helmets during the regular season because the league office was not notified of the change.

1969: Saints Predominantly Wore White at Home at Tulane Stadium

In 1969, the Saints predominantly wore white at home when the club played at Tulane Stadium, forcing opponents to suffer in their darker jerseys.

November 8, 1970: Tom Dempsey's Record-Breaking Field Goal

On November 8, 1970, Tom Dempsey kicked an NFL record-breaking 63-yard field goal at Tulane Stadium, defeating the Detroit Lions 19-17.

1970: Saints Predominantly Wore White at Home at Tulane Stadium

In 1970, the Saints predominantly wore white at home when the club played at Tulane Stadium, forcing opponents to suffer in their darker jerseys.

1971: Archie Manning Color Commentator

In 1971, Archie Manning became the color commentator for Saints radio broadcasts.

1971: Saints Claim First Victory Over Rams Amid Stifling Heat

In 1971, during Archie Manning's first game, the Saints secured their first-ever victory over the Los Angeles Rams, 24-20, amid stifling heat at Tulane Stadium.

1974: Saints Predominantly Wore White at Home at Tulane Stadium

Through 1974, the Saints predominantly wore white at home when the club played at Tulane Stadium, forcing opponents to suffer in their darker jerseys.

1975: Move to the Superdome

In 1975, the New Orleans Saints began playing their home games at the Caesars Superdome after previously playing at Tulane Stadium.

1975: Saints Switch to White Pants

In 1975, the Saints switched to white pants, coinciding with their move from Tulane Stadium to the Superdome.

October 3, 1976: Saints Wear Road Uniforms at Home Against Oilers

On October 3, 1976, in a home game against the Houston Oilers, coach Hank Stram used the Saints' road uniforms, white jerseys with black pants; the Saints lost 31-26.

1979: Finished Season at .500

In 1979, the New Orleans Saints finished the season at .500.

1979: Washington Redskins had similar striping pattern

Until 1979, the Washington Redskins had similar striping pattern on jerseys.

1980: Stan Brock Color Commentator

In 1980, Stan Brock became the color commentator for Saints radio broadcasts.

1980: Paper Bag Protest

In 1980, after losing their first 14 games, Saints supporters were advised to wear paper bags over their heads at home games, leading to the team being referred to as the "'Aints."

1981: Saints Wear White Jerseys with Black Pants at Home

During the 1981 season, the Saints wore white jerseys with black pants at home during Bum Phillips' first season as coach.

1981: Jim Henderson becomes color commentator

In 1981, Jim Henderson became the color commentator for Saints radio broadcasts.

1983: Finished Season at .500

In 1983, the New Orleans Saints finished the season at .500.

1983: Saints Revert to Black Jerseys and White Pants

In 1983, the Saints reverted to wearing black jerseys and white pants.

1985: Jim Henderson leaves position

In 1985, Jim Henderson concluded his role as the color commentator for Saints radio broadcasts.

1985: Tom Benson Acquired the Franchise

In 1985, Tom Benson acquired the New Orleans Saints franchise, hiring Jim Finks as general manager and Jim Mora as head coach.

1985: Chicago Bears Undefeated Season

In 1985, the Chicago Bears held the record for the longest undefeated season with 12-0.

1986: Jim Henderson becomes play-by-play announcer

In 1986, Jim Henderson became the play-by-play announcer for Saints radio broadcasts.

1986: Saints Revert to Gold Pants

In 1986, the Saints reverted to wearing gold pants with both their black and white jerseys under new coach Jim E. Mora.

1987: First Winning Record and Postseason Berth

In 1987, the New Orleans Saints achieved their first winning record and earned their first postseason berth.

1987: Finished Season at .500

In 1987, the New Orleans Saints finished the season at .500.

1987: First Winning Record and Playoff Appearance

In 1987, the Saints achieved their first-ever winning record and playoff appearance, going 12-3.

1989: Jim Henderson leaves position

In 1989, Jim Henderson concluded his role as the play-by-play announcer for Saints radio broadcasts.

1990: Playoff Berth

In 1990, the New Orleans Saints secured another playoff berth.

1991: First Division Title

In 1991, the New Orleans Saints won their first division title.

1992: Dave Garrett is play-by-play announcer

In 1992, Dave Garrett became the play-by-play announcer for Saints radio broadcasts.

1993: Jim Henderson becomes play-by-play announcer

In 1993, Jim Henderson became the play-by-play announcer for Saints radio broadcasts.

1995: Saints Revert to Gold Pants

Through 1995, the Saints wore a logo with a fleur-de-lis inside an outline of the state of Louisiana on the sleeves of the jerseys and sides of the pants.

1996: Mike Ditka Hired

After the end of the 1996 season, Mike Ditka was hired to replace Jim Mora as coach of the Saints.

1996: Saints Return to Gold Numbers

From 1996, the Saints returned to gold numbers on both the white and black jerseys.

1996: Mora's Resignation

In 1996, Jim Mora stepped down as coach of the Saints midway through the season.

1996: Fleur-de-lis Replaces State Logo on Uniforms

In 1996, the fleur-de-lis logo was removed and replaced with a fleur-de-lis on both the sleeves and sides of the pants.

1997: 6-10 Season

In 1997, the Saints went 6-10 in their first season under Ditka.

1997: Green Bay Packers had similar striping pattern

Until 1997, the Green Bay Packers had similar striping pattern on jerseys.

1998: 6-10 Season

In 1998, the Saints went 6-10 in their second season under Ditka.

1998: Saints Return to Gold Numbers

Through 1998, the Saints returned to gold numbers on both the white and black jerseys.

1999: Ricky Williams Draft and Ditka Fired

In 1999, Mike Ditka traded all of his draft picks to draft Ricky Williams. Ditka and general manager Bill Kuharich were fired at the end of the season due to the club's 3-13 record.

1999: St. Louis Rams Won First Super Bowl

In 1999, St. Louis Rams advanced to win their first Super Bowl after being 4-12 the season before.

1999: Saints Change White Jersey Numbers to Black and Wear Black Pants

In 1999, the Saints changed the numbers on the white jerseys to black and wore black pants with a wide gold stripe. Following a poor season, the black pants were discontinued.

2000: Haslett's First Year

In 2000, Jim Haslett led the Saints to the playoffs, defeating the St. Louis Rams for their first playoff win. Randy Mueller won NFL Executive of the Year Award.

2000: Sean Payton's Saints Winless in Chicago's Soldier Field

In 2000, Sean Payton's Saints had been winless in Chicago's Soldier Field and had not won in the Windy City since 2000.

2000: First Playoff Win

In 2000, the New Orleans Saints secured their first playoff win in the team's 34th season.

2000: Saints Win First Playoff Game

In 2000, the Saints won their first playoff game, defeating the St. Louis Rams 31-28 while wearing their white jerseys.

2001: Mueller Fired

In 2001, General Manager Randy Mueller was fired.

2002: NFC South Division Formation

In 2002, the NFC South Division was formed.

2002: Beat Super Bowl Champions

In 2002, the Saints beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in both of their regular-season meetings.

2003: Missed Playoffs

In 2003, the Saints missed the playoffs after finishing 8-8.

2004: Missed Playoffs

In 2004, the Saints started poorly but were in playoff contention until the final week.

2005: Az-Zahir Hakim Played for the Saints

In 2005, Az-Zahir Hakim played one season for the Saints.

2005: Hurricane Katrina's Effects

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina significantly impacted the New Orleans Saints and the city of New Orleans.

2005: Haslett Left the Post

In 2005, Jim Haslett left the post.

2005: Home Games Relocated

In 2005, due to Hurricane Katrina, the Saints' home opener was moved to Giants Stadium, and the remainder of their home games were split between San Antonio and Baton Rouge.

2005: Hurricane Katrina and Haslett Fired

In 2005, the Saints finished 3-13 and did not play any regular-season games in New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina. Jim Haslett was subsequently fired.

January 17, 2006: Sean Payton Hired

On January 17, 2006, the Saints hired Sean Payton as their new head coach.

October 27, 2006: Induction ceremonies postponed due to Hurricane Katrina

On October 27, 2006, the induction ceremonies were held after being postponed from 2005 due to Hurricane Katrina.

2006: Drew Brees and Lance Moore almost set records

Drew Brees ended the 2006 season just 16 yards short of beating Dan Marino's single-season record, and Lance Moore came 72 yards short of his first 1,000-yard season.

2006: Preseason Games and Sold-Out Season

In 2006, the Saints announced preseason games in Shreveport and Jackson. After renovations, the Saints scheduled home games at the Superdome and sold out the season with season tickets alone.

2006: Divisional Playoffs

In 2006, the Saints beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27–24 in the Superdome in the Divisional Playoffs.

2006: Division Title and Playoff Bye

In 2006, the Saints clinched their third division title and their first NFC South title, securing a first-round playoff bye.

2006: First Game in New Orleans After Hurricane Katrina

In 2006, the Saints won their home opener 23-3 against the Atlanta Falcons, marking the first home game in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The game received a 2007 ESPY award for "Best Moment in Sports."

January 21, 2007: NFC Championship Loss

On January 21, 2007, the Saints lost to the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship game, ending their season.

2007: ESPY Award

In 2007, the September 25, 2006 game was given an ESPY award for "Best Moment in Sports."

2007: Disappointing Season

In the 2007 season, the Saints had a disappointing 7-9 record and failed to qualify for the post-season.

2008: Tom Benson led consortium owned WVUE

In mid-2008, a consortium led by Saints owner Tom Benson owned WVUE.

2008: 8-8 Season

In the 2008 season, the Saints ended with an 8-8 record and struggled on defense.

2009: Super Bowl XLIV Victory

In 2009, the New Orleans Saints won Super Bowl XLIV against the Indianapolis Colts, marking their first and only Super Bowl appearance and victory.

2009: Super Bowl XLIV Win and Best Season Start

In 2009, the Saints achieved their most successful season, winning Super Bowl XLIV. They also had the best start to a season in franchise history, going 13-0.

2009: NFC Championship Game Win

In 2009, the Saints defeated the Minnesota Vikings to advance to their first Super Bowl appearance, seen by many as representing the city's resurgence after Hurricane Katrina.

August 8, 2010: Opening Festivities Announced

On August 8, 2010, NBC announced that Taylor Swift and Dave Matthews Band would perform at the televised opening festivities of the evening.

September 9, 2010: Season Opener Win

On Thursday, September 9, 2010, the Saints, as defending Super Bowl champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9 in a rematch of the 2009 NFC Championship Game, marking the first time the Saints opened the NFL season at home.

December 27, 2010: Playoff Appearance

On December 27, 2010, the Saints clinched a playoff appearance with a win against the Atlanta Falcons. This was the first time a team in the NFC South had made back-to-back playoff appearances since the division was formed in 2002.

2011: Drew Brees Breaks Single-Season Passing Record, Saints Win NFC South

In 2011, Drew Brees broke the single-season passing record, leading the Saints to an NFC South title on December 26. The Saints finished the 2011 season with a 13-3 record and earned the third seed in the NFC.

2011: Saints Win NFC South Title

In 2011, the Saints won their first NFC South title since 2011, finishing the season with an 11-5 record.

2013: Record Broken by Matt Prater

In 2013, Matt Prater of the Denver Broncos broke Tom Dempsey's 1970 record by kicking a 64-yard field goal.

2013: NFL Enforces "one-helmet rule"

In 2013, the NFL enforced its "one-helmet rule".

2013: Saints Finish 2013 Season with 11-5 Record, Earn Wild Card Berth

In 2013, the Saints finished the regular season with an 11-5 record, earning a wild card berth as the sixth seed in the NFC. Despite a strong start, key road losses impacted their playoff seeding.

January 4, 2014: Saints Record First Road Playoff Win in Franchise History

On January 4, 2014, the Saints secured their first road playoff victory in franchise history, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 26-24.

2014: Saints Finish 2014 Season 7-9, Miss Playoffs

In 2014, the Saints concluded the season with a 7-9 record, placing second in their division behind the Carolina Panthers and missing the playoffs due to a weak defense.

2014: Cleveland Browns had similar striping pattern

Until 2014, the Cleveland Browns had similar striping pattern on jerseys.

2015: Raycom Sports takes over preseason telecasts production

Beginning in the 2015 season, Raycom Sports took over the production of preseason telecasts for the Saints under a new multi-year deal.

2015: Saints Finish 2015 Season 7-9, Defense Struggles

In 2015, the Saints finished the season with a 7-9 record for the second consecutive year. Their defense struggled historically, allowing a record-setting number of passing touchdowns.

April 11, 2016: Hokie Gajan's death

On April 11, 2016, Hokie Gajan, a former Saints running back and color commentator, passed away from liposarcoma.

2016: Most Wins for a Saints Coach

In 2016, Jim Mora's 93 wins was the most for any Saints coach until 2016.

2017: Jim Henderson leaves position

In 2017, Jim Henderson concluded his continuous run as the play-by-play announcer for Saints radio broadcasts that began in 1993.

2017: WVUE sale to Raycom Media

In 2017, WVUE was sold to Raycom Media.

February 16, 2018: Tom Benson Hospitalized

On February 16, 2018, Saints' owner Tom Benson was hospitalized and later died on March 15, 2018.

March 15, 2018: Tom Benson Dies, Gayle Benson Succeeds as Owner

On March 15, 2018, Saints' owner Tom Benson passed away at the age of 90. His wife, Gayle Benson, succeeded him as the owner of the Saints.

2018: Zach Strief succeeds Jim Henderson

In 2018, Zach Strief succeeded Jim Henderson as the Saints' play-by-play announcer.

2018: Saints Finish 2018 Season 13-3, Lose in NFC Championship

In the 2018 season, the Saints concluded with a 13-3 record, winning the NFC South and advancing to the NFC Championship, where they lost to the Los Angeles Rams 26-23 in overtime.

2019: WVUE sale to Gray Television

In 2019, WVUE was sold to Gray Television after previously being sold to Raycom in 2017.

2019: Saints Finish 2019 Season 13-3, Lose in Wild Card Round

In the 2019 season, the Saints finished with a 13-3 record and won the NFC South, but they lost in overtime to the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card Round 26-20.

2020: Saints Win NFC South in 2020, Lose in Divisional Round

In the 2020 season, the Saints won the NFC South with a 12-4 record. They defeated the Chicago Bears in the Wild Card Round but lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round, marking Drew Brees's final game.

2021: Mike Hoss replaces Zach Strief as play-by-play announcer

In 2021, Mike Hoss became the play-by-play announcer for the Saints, succeeding Zach Strief after Strief joined the Saints' coaching staff.

2021: Hurricane Ida's Impact

In 2021, the New Orleans Saints were impacted by Hurricane Ida.

2021: Saintsations change name to Saints Cheer Krewe

In 2021, the Saintsations cheerleading squad adopted the name Saints Cheer Krewe, changing from their previous name used since 1987.

2021: Saints Miss Postseason in 2021 After Quarterback Changes

In the 2021 season, following Drew Brees's retirement, the Saints experienced a quarterback carousel and finished with a 9-8 record, missing the postseason.

January 25, 2022: Sean Payton Steps Down as Head Coach

On January 25, 2022, Sean Payton announced he was stepping away as head coach after 15 seasons with the team, having achieved a 152-89 regular season record and a 9-8 postseason record.