The Saints held their annual captains’ dinner on the final Monday before the 2026 opener, gathering the full team at a local Italian restaurant in Metairie, Louisiana. Coach Kellen Moore described the event as “that official start of the regular season,” noting captains are announced there and given an opportunity to address teammates.
The Saints named nine captains this season. Veterans Zach Wood, Justin Reid, Cameron Jordan and Erik McCoy were among those who had served previously, while Chris Rumph II, David Edwards, Kaden Elliss and Chase Young were new additions. Quarterback Tyler Shough, 26, was the most significant new captain; Saints captains are determined by a player vote, and one year earlier the roster declined to name a quarterback.
Shough took over for Spencer Rattler as the starter midway through the 2025 season and spent the offseason working to cement a permanent role. He has immersed himself in the culture of New Orleans, aligned with franchise figures such as Pro Football Hall of Famer Drew Brees and worked to get to know teammates on and off the field. “Everybody in the room knew from OTAs on who the leader of the team was and he’s done a really great job,” Elliss said, adding that Shough is “mature beyond his years.”
Being named a captain stood out for Shough. He called it one of the biggest accomplishments of his career so far and said stability requires intentionality: “The NFL is such a hard business because there’s so much fluidity … you have to be really intentional about getting to know all of your teammates.” Shough and his wife welcomed their first child, son Grayson, in February, and he described a routine-based schedule built around meetings, media obligations and preparation.
With the opener against the Detroit Lions approaching Sunday (1 p.m. ET, Fox), the Saints say the true test of Shough’s leadership begins now. The team faces a raised bar from last season as it seeks to parlay the momentum from the end of 2025 into 2026 and return to the playoffs for the first time since Drew Brees retired five years ago.
