Heavy on Saints The New Orleans Saints were founded in 1967, joining the NFL as an expansion team. In their early years, the franchise struggled to find success. New Orleans didn’t have a winning season or a playoff berth until 1987. Things got so bad that fans began wearing paper bags over their heads during games, earning the team the derisive nickname “ Aints .” The Saints finally got over the playoff hump in 2000, and have managed to stay relatively competitive since, winning their first