The New Orleans Saints enter Week 5 set to face the 4-0 Minnesota Vikings after a humiliating 45-24 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday. Certainly, it’s a must-win game for head coach Kellen Moore and quarterback Tyler Shough, but just hours before kickoff against Minnesota, Saints reporter Nick Underhill added another concerning update. According to Underhill, multiple players on the Saints’ roster are dealing with illnesses.
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“Subplot for today: There’s a major sickness running through the locker room. See how it impacts things,” Underhill wrote on X about two hours before the kickoff.
Per reports, New Orleans has placed six players on its inactive list ahead of the matchup, with Zach Wilson listed as emergency quarterback. Linebacker Kaden Elliss (calf), offensive lineman Jeremiah Wright (concussion), edge rusher Anfernee Jennings (knee), defensive linemen Vernon Broughton and Nathan Shepherd, and safety Mike Reid (ankle) have been ruled out of the must-win game.
However, it’s worth noting that the Saints have listed two players inactive because of illness. For broader context, New Orleans’ official Friday injury report listed Christian Miller as questionable, and he did not participate in practice on Friday. Subsequently, he was left off the inactive list.
Meanwhile, that wasn’t the case with Shepherd and Broughton. The team announced on Saturday that Shepherd had been added to the game-status report as questionable with an illness. The team then listed him as inactive for the Vikings game on Sunday.
Lastly, Broughton was also officially listed as inactive for the Vikings matchup. Per reports, the Saints added him to the game-status report as questionable with an illness before ruling him out.
The illness concerns in the locker room have added to the growing concerns surrounding New Orleans’ disappointing start to the season. The Saints have lost three of their first four matchups of the 2026 season. And with multiple players inactive for the game against the Vikings, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, the situation raises further concerns for the team.
New Orleans has scored 105 points across four weeks, or 26.3 points per game, ranking 10th in the league. But on the opposite side of the ball, the team is dead last. The unit has allowed 128 points in four weeks, or 32 points per game, ranking 32nd in the league. In Week 4 as well, the defense failed to contain the Falcons’ offense.
Atlanta tallied 420 total yards, including 215 through the air and 205 on the ground. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. completed 15-of-20 passes for 223 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. Running back Bijan Robinson orchestrated a strong run game, as he rushed for 145 yards on 19 carries and scored two rushing touchdowns.
Wide receiver Drake London, meanwhile, recorded five receptions for 96 yards, while Jahan Dotson added two catches for 54 yards. Now, the team will face the Vikings, who remain unbeaten this season and boast the league’s 18th-ranked offense and No. 1 defense.