New Orleans Saints
2026-06-20
New Orleans Saints former punter Matthew Hayball has signed with the Atlanta Falcons, the team announced this week. Hayball, who appeared in all 17 games for the Saints during the 2024 season, will serve as the Falcons' international exemption player. He punted 75 times for 3,303 yards, with his longest punt being 64 yards. The 29-year-old Australian was released by the Saints in 2025. Falcons reporter Will McFadden reported the signing, stating that Hayball won't count against the Falcons' 90-man roster limit. And now, the Saints are looking to snap a 5-year playoff drought, coming off a season where they were the last-place team in the NFC South with a 6-11 record. Kellen Moore is going into his second season as the Saints' head coach. The Saints will host the Falcons in New Orleans on October 5. But for now, the focus is on rebuilding their roster. Matthew Hayball's departure leaves a gap in the Saints' special teams unit. So, the team will need to find a new punter to fill the void. The Saints' last season was marked by struggles on both offense and defense, with the team ranking near the bottom of the league in several key categories. The Falcons, on the other hand, are coming off a year where they went 8-9, which had them as the third-place team in the division. They last made the NFL playoffs during the 2017 season. Hayball's signing has generated reaction on social media, with some fans questioning the Falcons' decision to use their international player spot on a punter. Josh Kendall noted that Hayball spent five seasons at Vanderbilt before kicking for the Saints in 2024. Joe Patrick commented that using the international player spot on a kicker is generally the best use case. The Saints will need to regroup and refocus for the upcoming season, with their first game against the Falcons just a few months away. The team's performance will depend on how well they can adapt to the loss of Hayball and other offseason changes.