Kellen Moore didn’t exactly swat away Gayle Benson’s message this week, but he didn’t lean into it either.
After Benson made it clear that preparation matters and that results have to show up soon for the Saints, Moore was asked about the owner’s comments on Wednesday. His response was simple: “We all want the same thing.” #Saints pic.twitter.com/iHZus4WUMr
- Jeff Nowak (@Jeff_Nowak) October 14, 2026
That line fits the moment. Benson didn’t use the words “hot seat,” but the pressure was obvious. If the Saints don’t turn things around quickly, the organization will be staring at a coaching change sooner rather than later.
What makes Moore’s situation even tougher is how fast the mood has shifted. Not long ago, he was riding the momentum of a 4-1 finish, had identified the quarterback of the future, and had the fan base believing again. Then the 2026 season opened, and everything went sideways.
New Orleans has started 1-4, and the optimism vanished just as quickly as it arrived. That’s the nature of this business. It’s not just about winning eventually; it’s about what you’ve done lately, and lately, Moore hasn’t delivered enough.
The Falcons game on Monday Night Football in the 20th anniversary of the Domecoming was the biggest stage of all, even if you set aside the celebration around it. Once the pageantry is stripped away, the Saints’ play that night was hard to defend. It was one of their worst outings under Moore, and it bled into the next week.
Against the Vikings, New Orleans looked, as the source material puts it, like the flattest version of this team we’ve seen in the last two seasons. Coming off the embarrassment against Atlanta, the effort raised questions about pride as much as performance.
There was one clear bright spot in the late-game win over Baltimore, and it can be put in the same category as the fourth-quarter collapse against the Raiders - a meaningful moment, but not enough to erase the bigger picture. When you stack everything together, the losses still outweigh the positives from late last year and the first two games this season.
Moore can keep the tone calm, and he clearly understands why Benson is frustrated. This is a results business, and the results haven’t been good enough. The urgency is real, whether he says it out loud or not.
In Other News...
Saints Pressure Is Rising Fast After Public Message To Kellen Moore
The early weeks of the 2026 season have already put the Saints in a difficult spot, and the frustration around the team has moved well beyond the building. New Orleans is 1-4, and team owner Gayle Benson made her dissatisfaction with the level of play clear in public, a notable signal of how quickly the mood has turned around a club that expected more stability under Kellen Moore.
Moore responded by stressing the organizations commitment to improvement, but the on-field results have not given the Saints much breathing room. With losses piling up and the schedule bringing the New York Giants next, New Orleans suddenly finds itself trying to steady both its play and its confidence before the pressure gets any heavier. [Read more 🡒]
Kellen Moore Addresses Growing Pressure Around Saints' Brutal Start
The Saints 1-4 start has naturally turned up the heat around Kellen Moore, but the first-year coach said he is not dwelling on the noise. Moore said he has not met with owner Gayle Benson about the slow start and made clear he has no problem with her public criticism of the record, stressing instead that his focus is on getting the team pointed in the right direction.
Moore said he and Benson see each other several times a week, but they have not sat down to talk through the issues that have followed the poor opening. He also brushed aside speculation about his job status, keeping the message centered on improvement and moving forward as the Saints try to steady themselves after a rough beginning. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Enter New York With Pressure Suddenly Cranked Up
The Saints walked into their New York trip with the kind of noise that comes when an early-season slump starts to feel heavier by the day. Kellen Moore acknowledged owner Gayle Bensons dissatisfaction with how the team has performed, and her public message made the mood plain after a 1-4 start that has fallen short of expectations in New Orleans.
Moore kept the focus on the next step rather than the temperature around his own job, stressing improvement and the need to keep moving forward. The challenge now is obvious for a team trying to steady itself quickly, because the frustration from the top has already been voiced and the margin for an encouraging response is shrinking. [Read more 🡒]