The New Orleans Saints look a lot different than they did a couple years ago. They’re coming out of a full rebuild, and the 2026 season kicks off in just over two months. But one of their best players has barely been on the field lately, and his explanation for it is pretty straightforward.
Center Erik McCoy has played in only 20 games over the last two seasons. Multiple injuries kept him out. And when asked if that’s going to change how he plays, he basically said no.
“S*** just happens,” McCoy told Luke Johnson of Nola.com.
He’s not wrong. Last season, McCoy tore his bicep on a routine play. Something he’d done a million times. Something he’d seen other guys do a million times after that same injury happened to him.
“It just happened to be that impact angle and, you know, it ended my season,” McCoy said. “It was tough. But I’m going to keep doing what I can to mitigate those risks and hopefully I’ll be lucky. Hopefully all of us will be lucky, but I want to be lucky, too.”
This is a guy who was a Pro Bowl snub a few years back. He’s arguably the most talented player on an offensive line that isn’t exactly stacked with stars. And now he’s tasked with protecting quarterback Tyler Shough, who showed some real flashes last season but is still a work in progress.
The Saints need McCoy on the field. They need him healthy. But he’s not about to start playing scared because of a couple bad bounces. That’s just not how he’s built.
New Orleans opens the 2026 season on September 13 against the Detroit Lions on the road. A tough test right out of the gate. And they’ll need their best players available. That includes McCoy, who sounds like he’s ready to go — and ready to leave the bad luck behind.
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