1996 New Orleans Saints season

1996 New Orleans Saints season
Head coach	Jim Mora Rick Venturi (interim)
Home field	Louisiana Superdome
Results
Record	3–13
Division place	5th NFC West
Playoff finish	did not qualify

The 1996 New Orleans Saints season was the team's 30th as a member of the National Football League. They were unable to match their previous season's output of 7–9 and finished with the second worst sixteen-game record in team history at 3-13.^[1] The team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth straight year.

Offseason

NFL Draft

1996 New Orleans Saints draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	11	Alex Molden	Cornerback	Oregon
2	40	Je'Rod Cherry	Defensive back	California
3	70	Brady Smith	Defensive end	Colorado State
4	103	Ricky Whittle	Running back	Oregon
5	136	Mercury Hayes	Wide receiver	Michigan
5	145	Tom Ackerman	Guard	Eastern Washington
5	165	Terry Guess	Wide receiver	Gardner–Webb
6	179	Keno Hills	Guard	Louisiana–Lafayette
6	204	Toderick Malone	Wide receiver	Alabama
7	246	Henry Lusk	Tight end	Utah
Made roster

^[2]

Personnel

Staff

1996 New Orleans Saints staff
	Front office Owner – Tom Benson Executive Vice President/General Manager – Bill Kuharich Director of Pro Personnel – Chet Franklin Director of College Scouting – Bruce Lemmerman Head coaches Head Coach – Jim E. Mora (resigned October 21) Interim Head Coach - Rick Venturi Offensive coaches Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks – Carl Smith Running Backs – Dave Atkins Wide Receivers – Steve Walters Tight Ends – Bruce Arians Offensive Line – John Matsko Offensive Assistant – Jeff Davidson			Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator – Jim Haslett Defensive Line – Wayne Nunnely Linebackers – Rick Venturi (elevated to interim head coach October 21) Defensive Backs – Jim L. Mora Defensive Assistant – John Pagano Special teams coaches Special Teams – Bobby April Strength and conditioning Strength and Conditioning – Russell Paternostro Strength and Conditioning Assistant – Glenn Mayeaux

^[3]

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 1, 1996	at San Francisco 49ers	L 27–11	63,970
2	September 8, 1996	Carolina Panthers	L 22–20	43,288
3	September 15, 1996	at Cincinnati Bengals	L 30–15	45,412
4	September 22, 1996	Arizona Cardinals	L 28–14	34,316
5	September 29, 1996	at Baltimore Ravens	L 17–10	61,063
6	October 6, 1996	Jacksonville Jaguars	W 17–13	34,231
7	October 13, 1996	Chicago Bears	W 27–24	43,512
8	October 20, 1996	at Carolina Panthers	L 19–7	70,888
9	Bye
10	November 3, 1996	San Francisco 49ers	L 24–17	53,297
11	November 10, 1996	Houston Oilers	L 31–14	34,121
12	November 17, 1996	at Atlanta Falcons	L 17–15	43,119
13	November 24, 1996	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 13–7	40,203
14	December 1, 1996	St. Louis Rams	L 26–10	26,310
15	December 8, 1996	Atlanta Falcons	L 31–15	32,923
16	December 15, 1996	at New York Giants	W 17–3	52,530
17	December 21, 1996	at St. Louis Rams	L 14–13	57,681

Standings

NFC West
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
^(2) Carolina Panthers	12	4	0	.750	367	218	W7
^(4) San Francisco 49ers	12	4	0	.750	398	257	W2
St. Louis Rams	6	10	0	.375	303	409	W2
Atlanta Falcons	3	13	0	.188	309	461	L2
New Orleans Saints	3	13	0	.188	229	339	L1

References

1. 1996 New Orleans Saints
2. "1996 New Orleans Saints Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
3. "All-Time Roster". NewOrleansSaints.com. Retrieved February 28, 2011.