The New Orleans Saints made sure Chris Olave got his moment before training camp.
New Orleans posted a birthday message for Olave on X on June 27, writing, “Happy birthday, Chris Olave!” The team followed with a separate post tagging Olave and sharing a video montage of his touchdowns, captioning it, “For your feeds today.”
Olave is one of the Saints’ most important players entering training camp, and the team’s public celebration came as he heads into a season that could shape both the New Orleans offense and his long-term future with the franchise.
Olave turned 25 on June 27, according to ESPN’s player bio. He’s a 6-foot, 187-pound wide receiver looking for a fully healthy season in New Orleans with his 291 receptions, 3,728 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns over his first four NFL seasons.
Saints Put Chris Olave Back in the Spotlight
The Saints’ post was simple, but the touchdown montage was a reminder of what Olave can still be for New Orleans.
The former first-round pick is coming off the best statistical season of his career. Olave’s 2025 numbers were 100 catches, 1,163 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns, and he was named an AP second team All-Pro.
That context matters because Olave’s 2025 season helped change the conversation around him.
A year earlier, his 2024 season had been limited by injuries, and questions about his durability followed him into the next stage of his Saints career. The Saints’ own season recap described 2025 as a bounce-back year after an injury-plagued 2024 campaign.
The birthday post, then, was more than just a social media nod. It was the Saints putting one of their offensive centerpieces back in front of fans before a significant summer.
Chris Olave’s Contract Situation Adds Stakes Before Camp
Olave is not just another veteran reporting to camp. He is entering a contract window that will follow him throughout the summer unless the Saints and his representatives reach an agreement.
New Orleans exercised Olave’s fifth-year option in April 2025, keeping him under contract through the 2026 season. Saints executive vice president/general manager Mickey Loomis announced the move, and the team noted that Olave was a first-round pick in 2022.
That is the real backdrop to the Saints’ latest Olave post. The montage celebrates what he has already done. The contract situation points to what comes next.
If Olave stacks another strong season on top of his 2025 production, the cost of a long-term extension could rise. If the Saints want to build around him beyond 2026, training camp becomes the starting point for proving that last season was not a peak, but a baseline.
Why Olave Matters So Much to the Saints Offense
The Saints do not need Olave merely to be productive. They need him to stabilize the passing game.
New Orleans finished 6-11 in 2025, while averaging 18.0 points per game. That makes Olave’s individual production even more important. He gave the Saints a reliable No. 1 receiving option during a season when the offense still had larger issues to solve.
Training camp will offer the next checkpoint. The Saints need Olave healthy, efficient and in rhythm with the quarterback room early. They also need the rest of the receiving group to make defenses pay for tilting coverage toward him.
That is why a birthday post and touchdown montage can still be worth watching. The Saints are not hiding how central Olave is to their offensive identity.
The post itself was light. The stakes around the player are not.
New Orleans Saints Make Chris Olave Announcement Before Training Camp