Saints owner Gayle Benson: 'Ridiculous' to consider firing longtime GM Mickey Loomis

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2025-11-15

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Despite the Saints’ struggles over the first 10 games of the 2025 season, New Orleans owner Gayle Benson has zero plans on moving on from general manager Mickey Loomis.

“It may not be what the fans want to hear, but as far as firing Mickey Loomis, that’s ridiculous,” Benson told Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune. “(He) does a great job.”

Loomis has taken heat in New Orleans for several years, with the Saints’ last playoff appearance coming in 2020. Criticism has continued with the sluggish start to the campaign. However, when Benson didn’t toss the GM out with the bath water amid the offseason overhaul, there was little legitimate expectation that she’d make a drastic move this year.

“I’m very disappointed, as everybody is, but we’re in a rebuilding mode,” Benson said. “Mickey said this from the very beginning of the season. … I understand how fans feel. I really do. And I feel bad for the fans, but we told everybody in the beginning, this was going to be a tough year, and it has been a tough year.”

Loomis has been with the Saints since 2000 and took over as general manager in 2002. He added an executive vice president title in 2013.

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Defending her GM, Benson pointed to Loomis’ push to hire Sean Payton in 2006 and the signing of Drew Brees, among other positive moves in his long tenure.

However, recent times have conjured memories of the pre-Payton Saints. New Orleans won just five games in 2024 and, at 2-8, currently sits tied for the worst record in the NFC, with the New York Giants, who just fired coach Brian Daboll this week.

With new coach Kellen Moore and a roster badly in need of an infusion of young talent, Benson trusts Loomis to spearhead the turnaround.

“You don’t think Mickey Loomis is losing sleep at night over all of this? He is,” Benson said. “It’s hard. It’s not an easy job. It’s not like he’s sitting on his butt, not worrying about things.”