With multiple coaches getting fired and Mike Tomlin stepping away, there will be nine teams with a new head coach in 2026. The New Orleans Saints are facing more than half of them. Matter of fact, nearly half of the Saints' games will be against teams with a new head coach.
The AFC North will be replacing three of the four coaches in the division, and the Saints will play all three of them. New Orleans' last place schedule also earns them a date with the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals. Within the division, the Saints will play the Atlanta Falcons twice. That's seven of the nine openings, and makes up a total of eight games.
One could even argue the number should have been higher. Todd Bowles and Zac Taylor were two coaches who many thought were contenders for the unemployment line. Safety isn't infinite in the NFL, so by the time the Saints play these teams next year, there way be an interim coach leading their opponent.
Time will tell how much of an advantage this is for the Saints
Conventional wisdom would tell you facing a bunch of teams with a new head coach would work in the Saints favor. That all kind of depends on the coach though. The cycle isn't stacked with candidates this year, so the expectations is you'll see more former head coaches get second chances. It'll be interesting to see the balance between retreads and fresh faces in this hiring cycle.
John Harbaugh has already taken the Giants job. Harbaugh taking that job feels a lot different than an offensive coordinator embarking upon a new journey for the first time. It helps that New York has some talented pieces to move around, and talent is an important part of the equation. However, more experienced leadership creates belief that the talent can be maximized.
Brian Flores is another name that could fill one of these voids. He'll bring a strong defensive base with him, which he showcased in Minnesota. He also has past head coaching experience in Miami. Mike McCarthy could be a coach to watch this cycle. He sat out the 2025 season after being fired by the Cowboys. Many will complain about his ceiling, but McCarthy would certainly raise the floor of the team that hires him.
The benefit of playing against first time head coaches is banking on the inexperience. We saw that with Kellen Moore. He had to make his mistakes. He had to learn the ropes at the beginning of the season. In some situations, it hurt the Saints. Those growing pains could work in the Saints favor if the opposing coach is the one going through it this time.