KEY MOMENTS IN SAINTS HISTORY

1987

April 28 - Saints selected Brigham Young DE Shawn Knight as their 1st pick in the NFL draft;

Aug. 17 - FB Hokie Gajan, who attempted to come back from a 1985 knee injury, retired following an injury to his other knee;

Sept. 21 - NFL Players Association announced that players would be on strike following the weekend's games;

Oct. 4 - Saints defeated the L.A. Rams 37-10 in Superdome before 29,745 fans in club's 1st replacement game ... Saints QB John Fourcade, a New Orleans native, led team to the win with 2 TD passes;

Oct 15 - NFL Players Association announced that the strike is over, but not in time to play the coming weekend's games;

Oct. 18 - Saints beat Chicago, 19-17 on 4 Florian Kempf FGs in the final replacement game played by the Saints ... the replacements posted a 2-1 record;

Oct. 25 - Saints fall to San Francisco, 24-22 in a Superdome thriller ... following the game, head coach Jim Mora made his highly-publicized "coulda, woulda, shoulda" proclamation to the media;

Nov. 1 - On the franchise's 22nd birthday, Saints posted the largest margin of victory in team history, shuting out Atlanta 38-0 ... the win was the 1st in team-record 9 consecutive triumphs to close out the season;

Nov. 29 - Saints held on with 2 magnificent goal-line stands in the 4th quarter to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 20-16 ... the victory ensured Saints' 1st-ever winning record ever; Dec. 6 - Saints beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 44-34 to lock up team's 1st-ever playoff appearance;

Dec. 13 - Saints won 7th straight, 24-10 over the Houston Oilers which gave the Saints home field in the NFC Wild Card game;

Dec. 20 - Down 24-3 in the 2nd quarter, the Saints rallied behind backup QB Dave Wilson for a 31-24 win, the biggest come-from-behind effort in Saints' history;

Dec. 27 - Saints beat Green Bay, 33-24 to finish the season with 12-3 record ... later that night, the San Francisco 49ers won their final game which kept the Saints from winning their 1st-ever division title & gaining home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs... the Saints were set to host the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Wild Card game.

2000

Jan. 2 - The Saints finish the 1999 season with a 3-13 overall record; Jan. 5 - Saints owner Tom Benson fired 22 employees, including president/general manager Bill Kuharich & head coach Mike Ditka;

Jan. 27 - Following through on his promise to "take whatever steps are necessary ...", Saints owner Tom Benson hired Randy Mueller as General Manager of Football Operations & Arnold D. Fielkow as Director of Administration;

Feb. 3 - Former Saints assistant coach & defensive coordinator Jim Haslett was named as the Saints' 13th head coach in the club's history;

Feb. 23 - Saints signed former San Diego Chargers DT Norman Hand to a 5-year deal ... it was the 8th free agent acquisition of 2000, marking the busiest offseason in club history & placing them at the top of the league in free agent activity;

March 9 - Saints named Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La. as their new summer training camp home;

April 15 - Saints picked Kansas State DE Darren Howard in the 2nd round with their 1st selection in the NFL draft;

July 31 - The club traded LB K.D. Williams & the 3rd round selection in the 2001 NFL draft to the Green Bay Packers for QB Aaron Brooks & TE Lamont Hall;

Oct. 8 - After a 1-3 start, the Saints began a 6-game win streak, 31-10 at the Chicago Bears, the 4th-longest win streak in club history;

Nov. 26 - Saints beat the defending Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams on the road, 31-24 for franchise's 200th all-time victory;

Dec. 3 - Saints QB Aaron Brooks set the club passing yards mark (441) vs. the Denver Broncos in the Superdome in a 38-23 loss;

Dec. 10 - Saints set club record for road victories with a 7-1 mark after a 31-27 comeback win at the San Francisco 49ers ... Saints also set NFL record for best road record turnaround after an 0-8 record in 1999;

Dec. 17 - Saints all but wrapped up NFC playoff berth after 23-7 victory over Atlanta in the Superdome;

Dec. 18 - Saints clinched 2nd NFC West title after St. Louis lost, 38-35 at Tampa Bay ... the Saints were the 7th team since 1990 to go from last place to a division title the next season;

Dec. 24 - Saints wrapped up the regular season with a 10-6 mark after they overcame injuries to 8 starters ... Saints head coach Jim Haslett was selected Coach of the Year by several organizations...the Saints defense set a club mark with 66 sacks, tied for the 6th-most in NFL history ... DT La'Roi Glover captured the NFL sack title with a club record-tying 17.0 while DE Darren Howard had a club rookie record 11.0 sacks ... WR Joe Horn set club marks for receptions (94) & reception yards (1,340) ... RB Ricky Williams had the 6th 1,000-yard rushing season in club annals;

Dec. 28 - DE Joe Johnson selected as the NFL Comeback Player of the Year by the Associated Press after he missed 1999 with a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee suffered during training camp;

Dec. 30 - Saints won in postseason for the 1st time ever, 31-28 over the St. Louis Rams in a NFC Wild Card Playoff game in the Superdome ... WR Willie Jackson tied a NFL postseason mark with 3 TD catches & QB Aaron Brooks threw 4 TD passes ... the win was clinched after the Saints' Brian Milne recovered a fumbled fair catch by the Rams' Az-Zahir Hakim with 1:51 remaining after a New Orleans punt.

2002

Jan. 6 - Saints concluded 2001 season with 7-9 mark;

Feb. 9 - S Sammy Knight and DT La'Roi Glover started in the Pro Bowl;

March 7 - Owner Tom Benson announced that he will start an Arena Football League team, the New Orleans VooDoo;

March 8 - Saints traded RB Ricky Williams to the Miami Dolphins for a first-round selection in the 2002 draft and a conditional third-round selection in 2003 (upgraded to a first-round pick in 2003 based on Williams' performance);

March 26 - Saints traded T William Roaf to the Kansas City Chiefs for a conditional 4th round pick in the 2003 draft (upgraded to a third-round pick in 2003 with Roaf's playing time);

April 20 - Saints picked Tennessee WR Donte' Stallworth with their first selection in the NFL draft;

May 9 - Saints released General Manager of Football Operations Randy Mueller from his contract;

May 13 - Saints promoted Mickey Loomis to General Manager of Football Operations from Director of Football Administration;

Aug. 7 - Signed Coach Jim Haslett to a multi-year contract extension; Sept. 7- Signed QB Aaron Brooks to a six-year contract extension;

Sept. 22 - Saints charge back from 20-point deficit vs. Bears at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill. QB Aaron Brooks tossed three TDs in the final three quarters, including a 29-yard scoring toss to WR Donte' Stallworth with 1:11 remaining that proved to be the game-winner. The victory was the 20th of Coach Jim Haslett's coaching career;

Sept. 29 - WR Donte' Stallworth became the first rookie in 20 years to catch a touchdown in his first four NFL games;

Oct. 13 - At Washington, WR Michael Lewis became the seventh player in NFL history - and the first in team record books - to return a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown in the same game. His 286 return yards vs. the Redskins ranked as the second-highest in Saints history. Lewis was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts in the 43-27 victory;

Oct. 20 - Saints improve to 6-1 with 35-27 win over San Francisco in the Superdome. In the win over the 49ers, QB Aaron Brooks passed for three touchdowns and ran for another and was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Five of New Orleans' first six victories came over playoff teams from 2001;

Dec. 8 - WR Donte' Stallworth hauls in a 28-yard touchdown at Baltimore, giving him a team rookie-record seven scoring catches for the seasn. He finishes the year with eight;

Dec. 29 - RB Deuce McAllister rushed for 117 yards on 28 carries in finale vs. Carolina, his eighth 100-yard performance of the season (second-most in club history to the nine RB George Rogers posted in 1981) ... WR Michael Lewis finished the season with an NFL-record 2,432 yards of combined kickoff and punt return yardage. Lewis posted 1,807 yards in kickoff returns and 625 yards in punt returns - both team records ... K John Carney finished the year with a team-record 130 points. He also tied a team mark with 31 field goals, pulling even with K Morten Andersen's total in 1985 ... Saints conclude 2002 season at 9-7.

2003

Feb. 2 - Saints represented in Pro Bowl by WR Joe Horn, RB Deuce McAllister, kick/punt returner WR Michael Lewis and special teams ace RB Fred McAfee;

March 5 - Saints sign three free agents: CB Ashley Ambrose (four-year contract), T Wayne Gandy (six-year contract) and LB Orlando Ruff (three-year contract);

March 7 - Saints sign free agent P Mitch Berger, agree to terms with K John Carney,

March 13 - Saints trade 2003 sixth-round pick to Minnesota for QB Todd Bouman;

March 21 - Saints trade T Kyle Turley to St. Louis for a second-round pick in 2004;

April 14 - Saints sign free agent TE Ernie Conwell to a five-year contract;

April 15 - Club announces 2003 training camp will be held at the team's practice facility in Metairie, La.;

April 19 - Saints trade third and seventh-round picks in 2003 and an undisclosed pick in 2004 to New England for S Tebucky Jones;

April 26 - The Saints select Georgia DT Johnathan Sullivan sixth overall with their first selection in the NFL draft ... The choice was acquired from Arizona after New Orleans traded the Cardinals its two first-round picks (16th and 17th overall). As part of the deal, the two clubs also swapped second-round picks and the Saints received Arizona's fourth-round selection;

May 13 - Owner Tom Benson announces he will bring an Arena Football expansion franchise to the city, the New Orleans VooDoo. The club is to begin play in February, 2004;

May 27 - The Saints traded their seventh-round selection in 2004 to the Miami Dolphins for LB Derrick Rodgers;

July 26 - Saints begin first-ever training camp at home facility in Metairie, La. Sept. 28 - RB Deuce McAllister rushes for 101 yards on 17 carries vs. the Indianapolis Colts, beginning a franchise-record streak of nine straight 100-yard performances;

Oct. 19 - Saints post the third-highest scoring total in franchise history with a 45-17 romp over Atlanta at the Georgia Dome;

Nov. 2 - Saints win third straight over defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers at Tampa Bay, 17-14. In the game, McAllister sets a team record with his sixth straight 100-yard game, and DE Willie Whitehead wins NFC Player of the Week honors with three sacks.

Nov. 16 - A 23-20 overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons gives the Saints their 100th victory in the Louisiana Superdome. McAllister sets a team record with 237 yards from scrimmage, including 173 rushing;

Nov. 30 - McAllister rushes for 165 yards on 31 carries in a 24-20 victory at Washington, his ninth straight 100-yard game. The streak tied former Chicago RB Walter Payton and Jacksonville RB Fred Taylor for the third-longest in NFL history. He would be held below the milestone the following week vs. Tampa Bay;

Dec. 14 - QB Aaron Brooks tossed a career-high five TDs, including a club-record four caught by WR Joe Horn, in a 45-7 victory over the New York Giants in a nationally-televised game on ESPN. It marked the first time since 1989 that New Orleans posted over 40 points twice in the same season;

Dec. 21 - In one of the most memorable final plays from scrimmage in NFL history, the Saints pulled off a 75-yard, three-lateral touchdown as time expired to cut Jacksonville's lead to one point. WR Jerome Pathon capped the play with a leap into the end zone, but the PAT attempt by K John Carney sailed wide right, giving the Jaguars a 20-19 victory.

Dec. 28 - McAllister had 49 yards in the season-ending victory over Dallas, becoming only the second player in club history to go over 1,600 rushing yards in a season and the first to post over 2,000 total yards from scrimmage ... Saints finish 2003 season at 8-8.

2004

Feb. 8 - Arena Football League's New Orleans VooDoo, also owned by Tom Benson, kickoff inaugural season at the Philadelphia Soul with a 42-34 victory; Saints represented in the Pro Bowl by RB Deuce McAllister and G/C LeCharles Bentley (both did not participate in the game due to injury);

March 4 - Saints signed free agent RB Aaron Stecker to a four-year contract and re-signed CB Fred Thomas to a four-year contract;

March 8 - Signed free agent DT Brian Young;

April 24 - Saints select Ohio State DE Will Smith 18th overall with their first selection in the NFL draft. Saints trade a 2004 second round to Minnesota and receive their 2004 second and fifth round picks. Traded a third round pick to Washington for their second round choice in 2005;

Sept. 12 - WR Joe Horn had six receptions for 110 yards in season opener vs. Seattle to become the first Saints wideout to have over 100 yards in 20 games;

Sept. 19 - K John Carney hit three field goals and three PATs to put him into 10th place on the NFL's all-time scoring list (1,446);

Sept. 26 - In the only OT game of the season, QB Aaron Brooks led the Saints 38 yards on four plays at St. Louis to tie the contest, 25-25 on a FG by K John Carney ... Carney made a 31-yard FG attempt in OT on the Saints' first possession to win, 31-28 and captured NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors;

Oct. 4 - Acquired CB Mike McKenzie from Green Bay in a trade for the club's second round pick in 2005 and QB J.T. O'Sullivan. The Saints also received a future conditional draft pick from the Packers;

Nov. 14 - RB Deuce McAllister set a personal career mark with TDs in four straight games as the Saints beat Kansas City, 27-20 in the Superdome;

Nov. 21 - QB Aaron Brooks broke franchise marks for pass attempts (60) and completions (34) in a 34-13 defeat to Denver in the Superdome;

Dec. 12 - P Mitch Berger earns NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award after dropping four punts inside the Cowboys 20 in a 27-13 victory at Dallas;

Dec. 19 - RB Aaron Stecker retuned the opening kickoff 98 yards at Tampa Bay for a touchdown against his former club and captured NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors ... QB Aaron Brooks hit WR Donte' Stallworth on a seven-yard TD strike with 38 seconds to play for the 21-17 victory;

Dec. 22 - WR Joe Horn and P Mitch Berger were voted the NFC squad for the Pro Bowl;

Dec. 26 - WR/KR Michael Lewis returned a kickoff 96 yards for a TD in the Saints' 26-13 victory vs. Atlanta in the Superdome and gets NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

2006

Jan. 1 - The Saints lose at Tampa Bay and finish season with a 3-13 overall record;

Jan. 2 - Head coach Jim Haslett relieved of his duties. The team immediately begins a coaching search;

Jan. 10 - Club announces new business management team with the promotions of Rita Benson LeBlanc to Owner/Executive Vice President Administration, Dennis Lauscha to Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer, Ben Hales to Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, Vicky Neumeyer to Vice President/General Counsel, and Mike Stanfield to Vice President of Ticket and Suite Sales;

Jan. 17 - The Saints reopened their offices in Metairie; Jan. 18 - Sean Payton was named as the 14th head coach in club history;

Feb. 5 - The NFL announces that the Saints will return to the Louisiana Superdome for their first regular-season home game at the stadium since 2004. It was later announced that the Saints will host the Atlanta Falcons Sept. 25 on Monday Night Football;

Feb. 15 - Twenty-seven Louisiana business leaders join together to support the New Orleans Saints' return to the Crescent City to form the Saints Business Council;

March 14 - The Saints agreed to terms with former San Diego Chargers QB Drew Brees to a five-year contract, perhaps the most notable free-agent acquisition in team history; Saints equipment staff selected as Whitey Zimmerman Memorial Award winner for 2005 in a vote by their peers;

April 29 - Saints pick RB Reggie Bush second overall in the NFL Draft. Selecting the Heisman Trophy winner sets off a flurry of excitement throughout the Gulf South area.

July 27 - Saints open training camp at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss.

Sept. 10 - Saints open 40th regular season at Cleveland Browns with a 19-14 victory;

Sept. 17 - After initially falling behind 13-0 at Green Bay, Saints storm back to open a season with back-to-back road victories for the first time in franchise history;

Sept. 25 - In the first contest at the stadium since it was used as a shelter of last resort during Hurricane Katrina, the Saints christened the refurbished Superdome with a 23-3 victory on Monday Night Football. U2 and Green Day performed before the nationally-broadcast game.

Nov. 19 - QB Drew Brees threw for a club-record 510 yards in a 31-16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at the Superdome. The yardage total is the sixth-highest in NFL history.

Dec. 3 - RB Reggie Bush tied a team record with four touchdowns (three rushing and one receiving) in a 34-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Dec. 10 - On the national stage of Sunday Night Football, the Saints improved to 9-4 with a 42-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys. QB Drew Brees threw five touchdowns and was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Dec. 19 - QB Drew Brees, T Jammal Brown and DE Will Smith voted to the Pro Bowl as starters. The Saints' coaches would join the threesome as the staff for the NFC squad following the season.

2008

Feb. 1 - NFL announced that the Saints had been selected to participate in the NFL International Series, scheduling New Orleans to play a home game Oct. 26 against the San Diego Chargers at Wembley Stadium in London, England.

Feb. 29 - Saints acquire LB Jonathan Vilma from the New York Jets for a fourth-round draft choice in the 2008 NFL Draft.

April 8 - owner Tom Benson donated $15 million to The Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio.

April 26 - Saints traded first-round (10th overall) and third-round (78th) picks to New England for the seventh overall pick in the NFL Draft and then selected DT Sedrick Ellis with the pick.

May 5 - Owner Tom Benson announced plans to purchase WVUE-TV FOX 8 and created Louisiana Media Company.

Aug. 31 - With Hurricane Gustav bearing down on New Orleans, the Saints evacuated their football operation to Indianapolis, where they would practice for the full week leading up to the season opener.

Sept. 7 - The Saints return to New Orleans and opened the season with a 24-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Oct. 2 - QB Drew Brees named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September after throwing for 1,343 yards and eight touchdowns in the team's first four games.

Oct. 6 - RB Reggie Bush tied an NFL record by returning two punts for touchdowns - one for 64 and another for 71 yards - on Monday Night Football in a 30-27 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for the effort.

Oct. 26 - Playing in their first regular-season outside of the United States, the Saints defeated the San Diego Chargers 37-32 at London's Wembley Stadium. QB Drew Brees was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 339 yards and three touchdowns.

Nov. 24 - In a 51-29 win over Green Bay, the Saints tied a franchise-record for points scored in a single game. RB Deuce McAllister broke the record for the most touchdowns scored in team history with his 54th on a three-yard run.

Dec. 16 - QB Drew Brees was named to the NFC squad for the Pro Bowl. He would later be joined by LT Jammal Brown.

Dec. 21 - RB Pierre Thomas tied a team-record by scoring a touchdown in his sixth consecutive game.

Dec. 28 - QB Drew Brees finished the season with 5,069 passing yards, the second-most yards in a season in NFL history, trailing only Dan Marino's 5,084 yards in 1984. He also set new team records with 34 touchdown passes, 10 games with 300 or more yards passing and matched his own record with a 96.2 passer rating.

2009

Jan. 6 - QB Drew Brees named Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year.

Jan. 7 - Defensive Coordinator Gary Gibbs is relieved of his duties after three seasons.

Jan. 12 - Pete Carmichael Jr. is promoted to offensive coordinator. The club also announced that Aaron Kromer was promoted to offensive line coach/running game coordinator and Joe Lombardi to quarterbacks coach and hired Bret Ingalls as running backs coach.

Jan. 15 - Saints announce the hiring of Gregg Williams as the team's defensive coordinator.

Feb. 17 - Saints release all-time leading rusher and touchdown scorer RB Deuce McAllister after eight seasons.

March 27 - LB Jonathan Vilma re-signed with the team, inking a five-year contract to keep him in New Orleans. T Jon Stinchcomb re-signed with the club, also signing a five-year contract.

March 5 - Saints signed unrestricted free agent CB Jabari Greer.

March 12 - FB Heath Evans signed with the Saints as a free agent.

March 30 - Saints announced the team's training camp would be held at their home practice facility in Metairie, La.

April 25- Saints use the 14th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft to select Ohio State CB Malcolm Jenkins.

April 30 - Owner Tom Benson and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal announced a lease extension that will keep the Saints in New Orleans through 2025 and provide $85 million to upgrade the Louisiana Superdome. Benson also announced that he would purchase the Dominion Tower and develop a festival plaza outside the stadium.

May 19 - The NFL announced that New Orleans has been named as the host for Super Bowl XLVII following the 2012 season.

June 19 - Dennis Lauscha promoted to Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer.

Sept. 13 - Saints opened their season with a 45-27 victory over the Detroit Lions, their most points ever on kickoff weekend. Brees tied a club record with six touchdown passes and was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Oct. 1 - Brees named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September after leading Saints to a 3-0 record and throwing for 1,276 yards and nine TDs.

Oct. 25 - Saints improved to 6-0 with a 46-34 win at Miami, where they rebounded from a 24-3 deficit, tying their biggest comeback in franchise history. K John Carney became the fourth player in NFL history to reach 2,000 career points.

Nov. 8 - With their 30-20 win over Carolina, the 8-0 Saints now had the best start in franchise history.

Nov. 22 - Following their 38-7 win over Tampa Bay to improve their record to 10-0, New Orleans' 10-game winning streak was the longest in franchise history.

Nov. 30 - In a 38-17 Monday night win over New England, where the Patriots averaged a club record 9.6 yards per play, Brees completed 18-of-23 passes for 371 yards with five touchdowns. His career-high passer rating of 158.3, was the only the second perfect rating in club history. Brees was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Dec. 19 - After falling 24-17 to Dallas, New Orleans, finally had a blemish on its record after a club-record 13 victories. Brees threw his 121st touchdown pass as a Saint, making him the franchise's all-time record holder and also became only the second NFL quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in four consecutive seasons.

Dec. 27 - With a 21-yard interception return vs. Tampa Bay, Sharper set the NFL single season record for interception return yardage with 376. In the game, Brees completed a club-record 19 straight passes and also tied his club single-season record for touchdowns passes with his 34th.

Dec. 29 - Brees, G Jahri Evans, Sharper, T Jon Stinchcomb and LB Jonathan Vilma were named to the Pro Bowl, later to be joined by C Jonathan Goodwin and S Roman Harper for a franchise-record seven total Saints.

2011

Jan 8 - Seattle came back from 10-0 and 17-7 first half deficits to defeat New Orleans, 41-36 at Qwest Field in an NFC Wild Card playoff game;

Jan. 30 - A total of five Saints were chosen for the NFC squad for the Pro Bowl…G Jahri Evans was named as a starter for the second consecutive season…QB Drew Brees, S Roman Harper, G Carl Nicks and LB Jonathan Vilma also made the trip to Honolulu, with Vilma opening the contest with Evans;

Apr. 28 - Saints used the 24th overall pick in the NFL Draft to select California DE Cameron Jordan and then acquired the 28th pick from the New England Patriots and selected Alabama RB and 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram;

Sept. 18 - After losing the NFL kickoff contest at Green Bay, 42-34, the Saints evened their record and won their home opener for the fourth consecutive season as they defeated Chicago, 30-13, with QB Drew Brees throwing three TDs and running for another and S Roman Harper adding two sacks;

Oct. 4 - Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Owner Tom Benson and Mercedes-Benz USA announce a 10-year agreement reached between the Saints and Mercedes-Benz USA to rename the club's recently renovated home stadium, the "Mercedes-Benz Superdome;"

Oct. 23 - In a 62-7 primetime, nationally televised victory over Indianapolis in the newly minted Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the Saints' point total set a new club record and was tied for the highest total since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger...in addition to the club scoring record, they also set team marks for margin of victory (55), first downs (36) and PATs (8). Brees completed 31-of-35 passes for 325 yards with five TD throws and a 144.9 rating;

Nov. 6 - New Orleans' 27-16 win over Tampa Bay marked the start of an eight-game win streak to end the regular season;

Nov. 13 - A key fourth-and-inches stop from the Atlanta 29-yard line by S Malcolm Jenkins in overtime at the Georgia Dome gave the Saints the ball back to set up a game-winning field goal by K John Kasay to give them a thrilling 26-23 victory;

Nov. 28 - The Saints defeated the eventual Super Bowl Champion New York Giants 49-24 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Monday Night Football, in a contest where Brees completed 24-of-38 passes for 363 yards with four touchdowns, one rushing score and a 129.6 rating, becoming the first quarterback in team history with four passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown in a game;

Dec. 18 - With a 42-20 win at Minnesota, behind 412 yards passing and five TD passes from Brees, who set an NFL single-season record with his 11th 300-yard passing game of 2011, New Orleans reached 11 wins for the third straight season for the first time;

Dec. 26 - Brees breaks Dan Marino's 27-year old single-season passing record of 5,084 yards when he connects on a nine-yard TD to Sproles...Brees captured NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the third time in 2011;

Dec. 27 - Brees, T Jermon Bushrod, G Jahri Evans, TE Jimmy Graham and G Carl Nicks were named to the Pro Bowl...Graham was selected, on the strength of a sophomore season where set a team receiving record with 99 receptions for 1,310 yards, the second-highest yardage total for a tight end in NFL history, and 11 touchdowns...Evans and Nicks were selected as starters.

2012

Jan. 1 - With a 45-17 win over Carolina in the regular season finale, the Saints improve to 13-3, tying their regular season record for wins and capturing the NFC South title, qualifying for the playoffs for the third season in a row, also tying a team mark…New Orleans accumulated what was a team single-game record 617 total net yards to run their season total to 7,474, surpassing the NFL single-season mark of 7,075 previously held by the 2000 St. Louis Rams…RB Darren Sproles sets the league all-purpose yardage total with 2,696 yards…Brees ended his record-setting December/January by capturing NFC Offensive Player of the Month, as he finished with a then-NFL-record 5,476 passing yards and 71.2% completion percentage;

Jan. 7 - Saints defeat Detroit 45-28 in NFC Wild Card playoff, as Brees completes 33-of-43 passes for 466 yards with three TDs, the second-highest single-game passing yardage total in NFL postseason history;

Feb 4 - T William Roaf, who played with New Orleans from 1993-2001 and was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times with the club, was voted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame...on the same evening, Brees was named the Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year;

May 18 - Owner Tom Benson and RB Deuce McAllister are elected to the Saints Hall of Fame; May 20 - Dennis Lauscha was promoted to team president;

June 15 - Benson completes the purchase of the New Orleans Hornets after having been approved by the National Basketball Association's Board of Governors;

July 13 - The club agrees to terms with Brees on a five-year contract;

Oct. 7 - Brees sets the NFL record on a first quarter 40-yard scoring throw to WR Devery Henderson with his 48th consecutive game with a touchdown pass, breaking a mark previously held by Johnny Unitas since 1960…Brees is named NFC Offensive Player of the Week…the 31-24 win also marks the franchise's 300th regular season victory;

Nov. 25 - WR Marques Colston became the club's all-time recordholder with his 56th touchdown vs. San Francisco…Colston would also end the season with 532 receptions, tied for the club's all-time lead with WR Eric Martin;

Nov. 29 - Brees' streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass will end at an NFL-record 54 after failing to throw one at Atlanta;

Dec 23 - Brees throws for 446 yards, tied for the second-highest total in franchise history, which he reached earlier in the season on September 30 at Green Bay, in leading the Saints to a 34-31 overtime win at Dallas.

2013

Jan. 9 - Head Coach Sean Payton is signed to a five-year contract extension;

Jan. 27 - QB Drew Brees, T Jermon Bushrod, G Jahri Evans and P Thomas Morstead represent the Saints in the Pro Bowl…Brees, Bushrod and Evans would start the contest;

Apr. 25 - Saints use the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft to select University of Texas S Kenny Vaccaro...Vaccaro would be a PFWA All-Rookie selection as he started all 14 games he appeared in and posted 93 tackles;

Oct. 6 - Saints win at Soldier Field for the first time since 2000, as the Saints defeat the Chicago Bears, 26-18 to improve to 5-0...TE Jimmy Graham has his fourth consecutive game with 100 yards receiving for the second time in his career, tying the NFL record for tight ends with consecutive 100-yard games;

Oct. 27 - Saints improve to 6-1 with a 35-17 win over Buffalo at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome...Brees completes 26-of-34 passes for 332 yards with five touchdowns as he captures NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors;

Nov. 10 - Saints improve to 7-2 with a 49-17 win over Dallas in prime-time at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome as the club sets an NFL record with 40 first downs and had a team-record 625 total net yards...Brees completes 34-of-41 passes for 392 yards with four touchdowns as he captures NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. LB Rickey Jackson, QB Archie Manning and T William Roaf inducted into the club's newly established Ring of Honor;

Nov. 17 - With a 23-20 win on a 31-yard game-winning field goal as time expired against San Francisco, the Saints improve to 8-2;

Nov. 21 - Graham ties a club record with his sixth 100-yard receiving game of the season to help lead the Saints to a 17-13 primetime win at the Georgia Dome to improve to 9-2;

Dec. 8 - Brees becomes only the fifth player in NFL history to reach 50,000 yards passing as he throws for 313 yards and four touchdowns in helping the Saints defeat the Carolina Panthers in a primetime 31-13 win at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome;

Dec. 27 - Brees, G Jahri Evans, Graham, G Ben Grubbs and DE Cameron Jordan were named to the Pro Bowl...Brees was selected for the seventh time as a Saint, tying him for first place in club record books with Roaf;

Dec. 29 - With a 42-17 win over Tampa Bay in the regular season finale, the Saints improve to 11-5, qualifying for the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons…Brees captured NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for the fourth time of the season as he completed 24-of-31 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns, one of which went to Graham, who finished with a franchise-record 16 touchdown grabs, the second-highest scoring grab total all-time in NFL record books for a tight end.

2015

Jan. 27 - Signed CB Delvin Breaux;

Mar. 8 - Saints agree to terms with RB Mark Ingram on a four-year contract;

Mar. 10 - Saints acquire C Max Unger and the 31st pick in the 2015 NFL Draft in exchange for TE Jimmy Graham;

April 30 - Using two first round draft picks for the first time since 2002, the Saints select Stanford T Andrus Peat and Clemson LB Stephone Anthony with the 13th and 31st overall selections. Peat would play in 12 games with eight starts along the offensive line, while Anthony would start all 16 games and post a rookie franchise-best 144 tackles, surpassing LB Rickey Jackson's mark of 125 set in 1981;

June 2 - Saints sign DE Cameron Jordan to a five-year contract extension;

June 15 - Former Saints S Steve Gleason selected as the PFWA's 2015 George Halas Award winner;

Oct. 4 - In Brees' return to the lineup after missing his first game as a professional due to injury (shoulder), he completes 33-of-41 passes for 359 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Saints to an overtime victory over the Dallas Cowboys…the win comes on the first play from scrimmage, an 80-yard touchdown throw to RB C.J. Spiller, and also marked the first overtime touchdown pass of Brees' career…it was the fourth overtime touchdown in franchise history, and just the second overtime touchdown pass…For his efforts, Brees is named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week;

Oct. 15 - In a primetime contest against Atlanta, local standout Michael Mauti blocks a punt and recovers and returns it for a touchdown to put the Saints up 14-0. It was the first blocked punt of Mauti's career, as well as his first career touchdown…Michael and his father Rich Mauti became the only father-son combination to each score touchdowns…Mauti is named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week;

Oct. 25 - New Orleans extends their streak of consecutive regular season games with at least one touchdown to 152 games, taking sole possession of the second-longest streak in NFL history, trailing only the Cleveland Browns who scored in an NFL-record 166 consecutive regular season games from 1957-69;

Nov. 1 - Brees completes 39-of-50 passes for 505 yards, a 131.7 passer rating and an NFL-record-tying seven touchdown passes as the Saints defeat the New York Giants 52-49…Brees becomes only the second player to pass for 500 yards and seven touchdowns in a single game, on his way to being named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week, the FedEx Air Player of the Week and the Castrol Edge Clutch Performer of the Week…the game also marked Brees' 150th career game as a Saint, with him surpassing defensive back Dave Waymer (1980-89) and moving into sole possession of 10th place on the club's all-time games played list…TE Benjamin Watson posts nine catches for a career-high 147 yards and one touchdown, including a career-high 46-yard grab in the first quarter;

Nov. 29 - On an 11-yard completion to WR Brandin Cooks in the second quarter, Brees eclipses 3,000 passing yards for the 2015 season, becoming only the fifth player to have 13 3,000-yard passing seasons…it also marked his 12th consecutive season with 3,000 yards passing;

Nov. 30 - Breaux is named the Saints' 2015 Ed Block Courage Award winner, which is given annually to a player from each NFL team who has persevered through adversity;

Dec. 8 - Watson is named as the team's Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award nominee and was one of three finalists for the leaguewide award;

Dec. 13 - With his three-yard touchdown throw to WR Marques Colston in the first quarter, Brees collects his 420th career touchdown, tying Dan Marino for fourth on the all-time touchdowns list. With his second quarter throw to Colston, Brees passed Marino for sole possession of fourth;

Dec 21 - On a 27-yard TD throw to Cooks, Brees eclipses 60,000 passing yards for his career, becoming just the fourth player to reach the mark…on the Saints' last scoring drive, Brees posts his 45th pass attempt, putting him over 8,000 career pass attempts for his career, becoming the just the fourth player to reach 8,000 career pass attempts…with :31 to go in the third quarter, Brees connects with WR Willie Snead on a 15-yard completion; the completion put Brees over 4,000 yards on the season, making the 2015 season his 10th-straight 4,000 yard season...Brees recorded his 94th career game of at least 300 passing yards, breaking a tie with Peyton Manning for most career 300-yard passing games in NFL history;

Dec. 27 - Brees makes his 215th career start, going 25-of-36 for 412 yards and three touchdowns, recording his 13th career game of 400 or more passing yards and moving into a tie with Marino for second all-time, trailing only Peyton Manning (14)…Finishing the game with 31 TDs on the year, the 2015 season becomes the eighth consecutive season in which Brees has thrown at least 30 touchdowns, extending his NFL record…RB Tim Hightower carries 27 times for 122 yards and two TDs and adds three receptions for 47 yards for a career-high 169 total yards from scrimmage, on his way to being named the FedEx Ground Player of the Week.

2017

Jan. 1 - In season finale at Atlanta, QB Drew Brees surpassed the 5,000 yards passing mark for the fifth time in his NFLcareer...he would finish the season with 5,208 passing yards, the second-highest total in his NFLcareer and the fourth-highest total in NFLrecord books...in the contest, rookie WR Michael Thomas would set several rookie franchise marks, finishing with 156 yards on 10 catches (15.6 avg.) and a 14-yard scoring grab.Thomas finished the season with 92 catches for 1,137 yards with nine touchdowns, setting club single-season rookie records in all three receiving categories;

Jan. 23 - Brees was named to his franchise-record ninth Pro Bowl as a Saint, tenth overall;

Mar. 10 - Saints agree to terms with WR Ted Ginn Jr.and LB A.J. Klein on three-year contracts and with G Larry Warford on a four-year deal;

April 28 - With the 11th overall pick in the NFL draft, the Saints selected Ohio State CB Marshon Lattimore and with the 32nd pick, theychose Wisconsin T Ryan Ramcyzk…Lattimore, the highest cornerback ever taken by New Orleans lived up to his billing as he became the first Saint to capture Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, while Ramcyzk played in every offensive snap;

April 29 - In a trade for a third round draft pick with San Francisco, with the 67th overall pick in the NFL Draft, New Orleans selected Tennessee RB Alvin Kamara…Kamara would go on to be selected as Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year as he had a club best 1,554 total yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns, a club rookie record;

Oct. 1 - New Orleans records the 14th shutout in team history, the first since 2012 and the first on the road since the 1995 season finale with a 20-0 dismantling of Miami at London's Wembley Stadium;

Oct. 29 - New Orleans wins their fifth consecutive contest, as they finish the month of October undefeated (4-0) with a 20-12 win over Chicago at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome…the New Orleans defense does not surrender a touchdown until the fourth quarter and Lattimore records a pick with 1:11 left in the contest to clinch the victory;

Nov. 5 - Head Coach Sean Payton got his 100th career regular season win in New Orleans' 30-10 win over Tampa Bay at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome;

Nov. 26 - Carrying over from the prior week, Brees completes 19 consecutive passes to tie the team record that he holds at the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum…with two sacks in the contest, DE Cameron Jordan reaches double-digit takedowns for the third time in his career;

Dec. 3 - On the way to a 31-21 victory over Carolina at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome that would give the 9-3 Saints sole possession of first place in the NFC South, Kamara became the fourth Saint to score at least one touchdown in six consecutive contests and the club's first rookie in a two-rushing score effort and Brees surpassed Peyton Manning and moved into second place all-time in NFL record books in completions;

Dec. 24 - With a 23-13 win over Atlanta on Christmas Eve, New Orleans clinches their first playoff berth since 2013 in a contest where Brees became only the third quarterback in NFL history with 70,000 career passing yards;

Dec. 31 - Despite a 31-24 loss to Tampa Bay at Raymond James Stadium, New Orleans clinches their first NFC South division title since 2011…New Orleans and the rival Carolina Panthers finished the regular season with identical 11-5 records, but the Saints claim the NFL South by virtue of a regular season sweep of the Panthers…the division title is the sixth in Saints history…with six receptions in the contest, WR Michael Thomas would finish the season with 104 catches, as the first Saint to reach the century mark and Kamara, who had a 106-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, the longest playin franchise history, would set the club rookie record for touchdowns (14)…Brees would finish the season having set the NFL single season record for completion percentage (72.0)…the Saints would finish the season as the onlyclub in the NFL ranked in the top five in run offense and pass offense.

2018

Jan. 7 - New Orleans would defeat the Panthers 31-26 in the NFC Wild Card Playoff as they would have three wins against an opponent in the same season for the first time in franchise history;

Jan. 28 -The Saints coaching staff, led by Sean Payton and seven Saints players, tied for the most in club history, represent the club for the NFC squad in the Pro Bowl played in Orlando,Fla…New Orleans is represented by QB Drew Brees, RB Mark Ingram II, DE Cameron Jordan, RB Alvin Kamara, CB Marshon Lattimore, WR Michael Thomas and G Larry Warford.

Feb. 3 - At the annual NFL Honors ceremony in Minneapolis, Kamara and Lattimore were selected as the NFL Offensive and Defensive rookies of the year, the first time teammates have swept the awards since Lions RB Mel Farr and CB Lem Barney did so in 1967… Kamara led the team in touchdowns with a franchise rookie record 14 and totaled a club-best 1,554 total yards from scrimmage as he joined Pro Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers as the second rookie in league history to score five rushing touchdowns, five receiving touchdowns and a special teams touchdown…Lattimore led the team and NFLrookies with five interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.

Mar. 12 - One of the most popular players in team history, T Zach Strief retires after a 12-year career…a seventh-round selection (210th overall) in the 2006 draft, Strief ends his career having played in 158 career regular season games and 10 playoff games, 11th-most in club history and 10 playoff games (tied for second in team history).

Mar. 14 - The Saints agreed to terms on a three-year contract with unrestricted free agent LB Demario Davis…Davis emerged as a leader on the defense, selected a team captain and led the club with 110 tackles and added five sacks.

Mar. 15 - Owner Tom Benson passes away at age 90…a dynamic business leader and entrepreneur, the New Orleans native helped mold the Saints into a model franchise and one respected league-wide…since being purchased by Benson in 1985, the Saints franchise has earned 11 playoff berths, eight playoff wins, and captured its first Super Bowl championship.

April 26 - With the 14th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the saints select Texas San Antonio DE Marcus Davenport.

Sept. 16 - Saints win 350th regular season game in franchise history with a 21-18 victory over Cleveland at the Mercedes-Benz Superdone.

Sept. 30 - Alvin Kamara carried the ball 19 times for a career-high 134 yards with a career-high three touchdowns to lead New Orleans to a 33-18 win at the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium…Davis is named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for an effort where he had 11 tackles and two sacks.

Oct. 8 - With a 62-yard touchdown pass to rookie WR Tre'Quan Smith, Brees became the NFL's all-time passing yardage leader in a 43-19 Monday Night Football win over Washington.

Oct. 21 - New Orleans rebounded from a 17-7 fourth quarter deficit to defeat the Baltimore Ravens 24-23 at M&T Stadium in Baltimore…Brees connected with TE Benjamin Watson in the second quarter on a one-yard touchdown, the signal-caller's 500th career scoring pass.

Nov. 4 - Brees tossed for 346 yards and four touchdowns, including a connection with Thomas on a fourth quarter 72-yard TD to lead the Saints to a 45-35 win over the previously undefeated Los Angeles Rams at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome…Thomas had 12 receptions for a club record 211 yards.

Dec. 18 - Five Saints, T Terron Armstead, Drew Brees, Cameron Jordan, Michael Thomas and C Max Unger were selected to the Pro Bowl… Alvin Kamara, G Andrus Peat and Warford were later named, giving New Orleans a franchise record eight selections.

Dec. 23 - New Orleans ties franchise regular season record with 13 wins when they defeat Pittsburgh 31-28 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome when Demario Davis recovers a fumble at the New Orleans 42-yard line with 32 seconds remaining. New Orleans wins back-to-back division titles for the first time in franchise history…Sitting out the regular season finale, Brees would finish the season surpassing his prior NFL record for completion percentage (74.4%).

2019

Jan 4 - Five Saints, T Terron Armstead, QB Drew Brees, DE Cameron Jordan, T Ryan Ramczyk and WR Michael Thomas were selected as Associated Press All-Pros.

Jan. 13 - The Saints defeated Philadelphia 20-14, in the NFC Divisional Playoffs at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome… WR Michael Thomas had 12 receptions for a postseason club record 171 yards and a TD, as CB Marshon Lattimore had two interceptions for an effort where the Saints shutout the Eagles for the final three quarters.

Sept. 9 - QB Drew Brees leads Saints on a 37-second fourth quarter game-winning drive and K Wil Lutz drilled a career-long 58-yard field goal as time expired to lead the Saints to a 30-28 season-opening win over Houston on Monday Night Football at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Sept. 22 - Filling in for an injured Brees, QB Teddy Bridgewater led the Saints to a 33-27 win at Seattle, completing 19-of-27 passes for 177 yards with two touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 112.7 passer rating. With a 53-yard punt return for a touchdown by WR/RS Deonte Harris and a fumble return for a touchdown by S Vonn Bell, New Orleans scored an offensive, defensive and special teams touchdown in the same game for only the third time in franchise history.

Oct. 6 - DE Will Smith is inducted into the club's Ring of Honor posthumously.

Oct. 27 - Brees returned to action after missing five games to right thumb surgery and completed 34-of-43 passes for 373 yards with three touchdowns and a 116.4 rating in a 31-9 win over Arizona, where the Saints didn't surrender a touchdown.

Dec. 16 - With a third quarter, five-yard touchdown pass to TE Josh Hill, Brees became the NFL's all-time scoring pass leader at the time, with his 541st, surpassing Peyton Manning in a 34-7 win on Monday Night Football over Indianapolis. Dec. 22 - WR Michael Thomas finished a 38-28 win at Tennessee as the NFL's single-season receptions leader, finishing the contest with 145 total grabs, which would be extended to 149 in the season ending contest.

Dec. 29 - In the regular season-ending 42-10 win at Carolina, New Orleans would finish with 13 wins for the fourth time in franchise history and the first time in back-to-back seasons.

2020

Jan. 3 - A club-record six Saints were named to the Associated Press All-Pro team. LB Demario Davis, PR Deonte Harris, WR Michael Thomas and T Ryan Ramczyk were first-team selections, while special teamer J.T. Gray and DE Cameron Jordan were second-team.

Jan. 16 - With RB Alvin Kamara added to the Pro Bowl squad, New Orleans would have a franchise-record 11 players named to the league’s all-star game.

Feb. 1 - Thomas won AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

March 16 - In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Owner Gayle Benson established the Gayle Benson Community Assistance Fund with a $1 million personal donation, partnering with the Greater New Orleans Foundation to help with contributions and distributions. The beneficiaries of this fund have been nonprofits working to support those in the service and hospitality industry, among other nonprofit groups.

April 24 - Saints used the 24th overall pick in the NFL draft to select Michigan G/C Cesar Ruiz.

Oct. 4 - Saints capture first road victory of the season with a 35-29 win at Detroit, as New Orleans rushed for 164 yards and Kamara tied the franchise record by scoring a touchdown in six consecutive games.

Oct. 25 - Saints defeat Carolina 27-24, as they play in front of 3,000 fans, their first performance in front of a paid crowd in 2020.

Nov. 15 - QB Drew Brees suffers rib and collapsed lung injuries in New Orleans' 27-13 win over San Francisco that would sideline him the next four games.

Dec. 21 - Five Saints were Pro Bowl selections. T Terron Armstead, Jordan, Kamara, CB Marshon Lattimore and G Andrus Peat.

Dec. 25 - Saints make their Christmas debut with a 52-33 win over Minnesota that clinches their fourth straight NFC South title. Kamara tied an NFL record with six rushing touchdowns and six total touchdowns, the hallmark of a 22-carry, 155-yard performance where he set a career-best in rushing yards as well.

2021

Jan. 10 - In an NFC Wild Card Playoff, the Saints defeat the Bears 21-9, as New Orleans held Chicago to 48 yards rushing and Kamara rushed for 99 yards and one touchdown.

Jan. 17 - The Saints' season ends as the Buccaneers defeat them 30-20 in an NFC Divisional Playoff before 3,750 fans.

March 14 - QB Drew Brees announces his retirement.

April 29 - With the 28th selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, New Orleans selected University of Houston DE Payton Turner.

Sep. 8 - Having spent nearly two weeks having evacuated to Dallas-Fort Worth due to Hurricane Ida, the Saints step on their field for their first regular season practice in preparation for what would be a 38-3 win over the Green Bay Packers four days later, in a contest that was played at Jacksonville's TIAA Bank Field due to the destruction of the storm in New Orleans;

Sep. 14 - Turning their eyes in the recovery from Hurricane Ida to returning to the Caesars Superdome to host an October 3 contest against the New York Giants, the club announced that rollowing an initial $1 million donation to the Saints Gulf Coast Renewal Fund by Owner Gayle Benson, over $5 million had been donated to the fund to be disbursed to multiple nonprofits intimately involved in the rebuilding and recovery efforts following Hurricane Ida.

Oct. 10 - New Orleans started what would be a three-game winning streak with a 33-22 victory at Washington as RB Alvin Kamara had 122 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns and QB Jameis Winston tossed two scoring throws;

Dec. 2 - Former Saints LB Sam Mills was inducted into the club's Ring of Honor posthumously at halftime of a Thursday night contest against the Dallas Cowboys;

Dec. 19 - With Head Coach Sean Payton testing positive for COVID-19 two days earlier, Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen was entrusted to assume his coaching duties, as Allen, the coaching staff and the players helped produce a 9-0 shutout of Tampa Bay on Sunday Night Football to sweep the season series...with the victory, Payton was credited with his 150th career regular season win, as he became the fifth-fastest coach to reach the milestone in NFL history.

Dec. 22 - DB J.T. Gray (starter), DE Cameron Jordan, Kamara and CB Marshon Lattimore were selected to the Pro Bowl.

2022

Jan. 25 - After guiding the Black and Gold to a 9-8 record and their fifth consecutive winning season despite the challenges brought forth by Hurricane Ida, injuries and numerous COVID-19-related absences, Sean Payton steps away as head coach of the New Orleans Saints after posting a 161-97 record (regular season and postseason combined) in 16 seasons, departing the Saints as the franchise's winningest coach and tied for 22nd all-time in victories.

Feb. 8 - Dennis Allen was introduced as the 17th head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Allen, who had served as defensive coordinator since 2015, is a coaching veteran of 26 seasons, including 12 in New Orleans.

Feb. 10 - Sam Mills was elected posthumously to be enshrined as part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2022. Mills played in 133 games with 125 starts for New Orleans from 1986-94 and recorded 934 tackles (723 solo), 10.5 sacks, four interceptions, 27 passes defensed, 16 forced fumbles and 17 fumble recoveries, two recovered for a touchdown. Mills was selected to the Pro Bowl four times as a member of the Saints and was a consensus All-Pro twice. Mills was selected to the Saints Hall of Fame in 1998, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2001, the club's All-50th team in 2016 and to the Ring of Honor in 2021.

Feb. 28 - The National Football League announces that the Saints will play a regular season game in London in 2022. When the Saints played the Minnesota Vikings on October 2, it will marked the third time New Orleans played a regular season game overseas, all in London, this being the first time the club played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

April 28 - Holding two first round draft picks for the first time since 2017, the Saints selected Ohio State WR Chris Olave with the 11th overall pick and Northern Iowa T Trevor Penning with the 19th overall choice. Olave would be a consensus All-Rookie selection, recording 72 receptions for 1,042 yards (14.5 avg.) and four touchdowns.

May 5 - The Saints signed unrestricted free agent S Tyrann Mathieu to a three-year contract, bringing the three-time Pro Bowler, three-time Associated Press All-Pro and Super Bowl champion back to his hometown. Mathieu finished the season with a career-high 91 tackles and a career-best four takeaways.

May 11 - In a presentation held at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, Saints Owner Gayle Benson received The New Orleans Times-Picayune Loving Cup Award for 2021, which annually has been awarded to New Orleanians whose philanthropic efforts and community involvement soar above and beyond.

Nov. 27 - With a 27-20 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams at the Caesars Superdome, New Orleans records the franchise's 400th regular season victory.

Dec. 18 - The Saints swept Atlanta with a 21-18 victory, giving them a 54-53 all-time record against the opponent they have faced the most. TE Juwan Johnson totaled a season-high 67 yards on four catches with two touchdowns for the second time of the season, as he would lead the team with seven scoring grabs. TE Taysom Hill connected on a 68- yard touchdown pass to rookie WR/RS Rashid Shaheed, giving him (regular season and postseason combined) ten passing touchdowns, 21 rushing touchdowns and 11 receiving touchdowns, making him the first NFL player to reach double-digit touchdowns in all three categories since Frank Gifford. DE Cameron Jordan also played in his 200th career game (regular season and postseason combined), becoming the first defensive Saint to reach 200 appearances and only the fourth overall.

Dec. 24 - With a starting temperature of six degrees Fahrenheit, New Orleans' 17-10 win at Cleveland was the coldest starting temperature for a contests that the club ever took the field for in franchise history.

2023

Jan. 1 - New Orleans was eliminated from the playoff chase due to other results, despite a 20-10 win over the eventual Super Bowl finalist Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field...Following a three-sack performance, DE Cameron Jordan (115.5) became the franchise's all-time sack leader as he earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors...With 8.5 sacks to finish the season, Jordan became the sixth player since sacks became an official statistic in 1982 to record at least seven takedowns in 11 consecutive seasons.

Jan. 8 - Although New Orleans finished 7-10, the Black and Gold were ranked fifth in the NFL in total defense (314.8 net yards per game), finishing in the top ten in three consecutive seasons for only the third time in franchise history and for the first time since the 1991-93 campaigns. The Saints were also second against the pass (184.4 ypg.), tied for fifth in sacks (48), ranked sixth in opponent red zone touchdown percentage (50.0), and ninth in scoring defense (20.3 ppg.).

Jan. 29 - Jordan and LB Demario Davis represent the Saints at the Pro Bowl games in Las Vegas...It was Jordan's eighth selection, second in franchise history and Davis' first.

Feb. 6 - Joe Woods is hired as defensive coordinator...Woods arrived in New Orleans after serving in the same position with the Cleveland Browns from 2020-22.

March 6 - The Saints agreed to terms with free agent QB Derek Carr on a four-year contract.

April 27 - The Saints selected Clemson DT Bryan Bresee with their first-round draft pick (29th overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Sept. 10 - The Saints win their fifth season opener in a row, when they defeat the Tennessee Titans, 16-15, in the Caesars Superdome, as New Orleans did not surrender a touchdown.

Oct. 8 - The Saints dominated the Patriots in a 34-0 shutout to stop a two-game losing streak, the most lopsided loss New England experienced at Gillette Stadium...New Orleans allowed just 156 total net yards, and S Tyrann Mathieu had a 27-yard interception return for a touchdown...RB Alvin Kamara's two-yard touchdown run made him the franchise all-time leader with 73 total touchdowns.

Dec. 10 - With New Orleans' 28-6 victory over the Carolina Panthers at the Caesars Superdome breaking a three-game losing streak, Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis became just the ninth person in the history of the NFL to oversee 200 regular-season wins as the official acting General Manager...The contest was the third in which the Saints kept an opponent out of the end zone in 2023 and would do so for a fourth time in the following week's 24-6 win over the New York Giants...It was New Orleans' first series sweep of the Panthers since the 2020 season.

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KEY MOMENTS IN SAINTS HISTORY