July 23, 2026, 9:55 a.m. CT
The New Orleans Saints‘ defensive improvement during the second half of the season did not go unnoticed — and one of the assistant coaches behind that turnaround is starting to receive national recognition. The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue named Saints defensive pass game coordinator Terry Joseph as a potential breakout coach for the 2026 season.
“Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’s system has always featured coverage principles that can be complicated and require great teaching and communication from coach to player — why Joseph is in this role — and from player to player,” Rodrigue wrote.
Joseph joined Staley’s staff with extensive experience coaching defensive backs, including previous stops with the Chicago Bears, Texas, Texas A&M, North Carolina, and Nebraska. His responsibilities helped New Orleans extend beyond working with one position group as he helps organize the communication required to level up the Saints’ pass defense. That teaching ability became increasingly evident during the latter portion of last season. The Saints’ defense began playing faster and with greater confidence as younger players gained experience in Staley’s scheme.
“Especially through the second half of last season, anyone watching the Saints could see the defense’s transformation and improvement and the development of some of its young players — and Joseph played a large role in this,” Rodrigue wrote.
The Saints have several young defensive backs who could continue benefiting from Joseph and his instruction in 2026. Kool-Aid McKinstry has already established himself as an important piece of the secondary, while players such as Quincy Riley and Jonas Sanker expect to take on larger roles in 2026. That makes Joseph one of the more important figures on the Saints’ coaching staff, even if his work does not always receive the same attention as Staley’s play-calling. For now, his focus will remain on building upon the progress the Saints showed late last season. Another strong year from the pass defense could create promotion opportunities or vertical moves for Joseph, who is 52.
