Sports · American Football · 4 hrs ago
Saints owner Gayle Benson demands improvement after 1-4 start
Saints owner Gayle Benson criticized the team's 1-4 start in a speech in New Orleans on Tuesday.
The team began the season with two promising games but has since lost three in a row, including a defeat by the Minnesota Vikings.
The losses have come at the Superdome, and the Vikings game followed a ceremony marking the stadium's 20th anniversary of reopening.
Benson said fans deserve better and that the team must prepare better and correct its mistakes.
She assigned responsibility to coach Kellen Moore and his staff, general manager Mickey Loomis and the players, and said she is responsible for holding the organization accountable.
The Saints are in Moore's second season, after winning four of their final five games in 2025.
Benson said she will make decisions to improve the team, but gave no ultimatum or specific next steps.
Saints owner Gayle Benson said the team’s 1-4 start is unacceptable and called for urgent improvements.
New Orleans has lost three consecutive games, all at the Superdome, including a Week 5 defeat by the Minnesota Vikings.
Benson said she would not accept the current level of play as the team’s standard and was committed to making decisions to improve it.
She called on the coaches, football staff and players to prepare better, execute consistently and correct mistakes.
Benson said she was responsible for holding the organization accountable, but issued no ultimatum on personnel or performance.
- Who
- Saints owner Gayle Benson addressed the team’s performance.
- What
- She expressed disappointment with the 1-4 start and demanded improvement.
- When
- Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
- Where
- At the Greater New Orleans Quarterback Club in New Orleans.
- Why
- The Saints had lost three consecutive games and were 1-4 after five games.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
New Orleans won four of its final five games.
The Saints won their first two games, including a road win over the Baltimore Ravens.
New Orleans lost three consecutive games, falling to 1-4.
Benson addressed the team’s performance at the Greater New Orleans Quarterback Club.
- Record
- 1-4 after five games
- Losing streak
- Three consecutive losses
- Latest opponent
- Minnesota Vikings
- Head coach
- Kellen Moore, in his second season
- General manager
- Mickey Loomis, in the role since 2002
3 sources
What people are saying
That is not acceptable to me, and it falls short of what our fans truly deserve
I will not make excuses and I will not accept this level of performance as our standard
Everyone in this organization understands the urgency
I am responsible for holding this organization accountable