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PRE-GAME ENTERTAINMENT
Color Guard MMAC (Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Army, and Air Force)
American Flag Unveiling Saints Season Ticket Holders
Saints Flags Unveiling Saints Season Ticket Holders
NATIONAL ANTHEM JOJO MATHIEU
Hailing from the vibrant city of New Orleans, JoJo has been singing for as long as she can remember, with a voice shaped by a lifetime of passion and dedication. With powerhouse influences like Whitney Houston, Brandy, and Jazmine Sullivan, JoJo has crafted a sound that blends vocal mastery with raw, heartfelt emotion. But her story doesn’t stop at music. A proud United States Army veteran, JoJo served eight transformative years, including a deployment to Iraq, bringing a depth of resilience, strength, and authenticity to every note she sings. Beyond the stage, she is the proud parent of three beautiful children—Kennedy, Carter, and Jensen—who continue to inspire her journey. From captivating audiences as Betty Schaeffer in the iconic musical Sunset Boulevard to honoring the legendary Aretha Franklin in Respect: An Aretha Franklin Tribute, JoJo Mathieu delivers performances that move, inspire, and leave an unforgettable mark on the hearts of those lucky enough to listen.
CHAMPIONS SQUARE ENTERTAINMENT
REYNA ROBERTS
Reyna Roberts has garnered national attention for her powerful vocals and unique blend of influences, ranging from Beyoncé to Gretchen Wilson. Coining the term "Country+" (Country Plus), as exemplified in her debut album Bad Girl Bible Vol 1, where Reyna seamlessly blends country, trap, rock, and pop with an outlaw edge. Notably featured on Beyoncé's COWBOY CARTER album on the tracks “BLACKBIIRD” and “TYRANT”, Reyna's star continues to rise, earning praise from outlets like Good Morning America 3, Billboard, Rolling Stone, USA Today and many many more. She's graced stages alongside icons like Reba McEntire, Luke Combs, and Jamey Johnson, has been showcased in the GRAMMY Museum, and was recently seen on Season 19 of America's Got Talent on NBC with a double standing ovation-worthy performance. She is currently partnered with Essence x Coca Cola, Genius x Hydroflask and Renaissance Nashville. With much more in the pipeline, expect Reyna's shine to only grow brighter.
50% Of the Proceeds of today’s 50/50 Raffle will benefit the New Orleans Chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, committed to providing valuable resources to local veterans, as well as assistant them in their transition to civilian life.
Tickets can be purchased through the end of the third quarter at the Caesars Superdome or at Saints5050raffle.com
IN-GAME ENTERTAINMENT
Gumbo
Sir Saint
Storyville Jazz Band
Saints Cheer Krewe
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
People’s Health Champion
Entergy Lineman: Powering Saints Nation
Community Coffee Military Moment
HALFTIME U.S. ARMY BAND DOWNRANGE
The U.S. Army Band Downrange supports the men and women of the Armed Services through popular music while reaching all audiences, young and old, with their continuously up-to-date repertoire of rock, pop, country, R & B, and inspirational signature patriotic arrangements that are popular with all listeners.
LEGEND OF THE GAME WR DEVERY HENDERSON
New Orleans’s second round draft pick in 2004 out of Louisiana State University, the Opelousas native shined in his ability to stretch the field throughout a nine-year career with the Black and Gold. In 124 regular season games with 76 starts, Henderson, caught 245 passes for 4,377 yards (17.9 avg.) with 20 touchdowns. Henderson’s 17.9 receiving average ranks first in franchise history. In addition to his 20 touchdown receptions, his sole rushing score is one of the franchise’s most famous, an 11-yard score on a double reverse play on September 25, 2006 against today’s opponent, the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football. The play is affectionately called the “Superdome Special”, as the 23-3 Saints win marked the reopening of the facility after Hurricane Katrina. In eight postseason contests with seven starts, Henderson, caught 31 passes for 464 yards (15.0 avg.) with four touchdowns. In Super Bowl XLIV, he moved the chains four times for first downs and tied for the team receiving lead with seven receptions for 63 yards. Henderson was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 2022.
COMMUNITY CORNER
Saints DT Bryan Bresee, FB Adam Prentice, K Blake Grupe and LBs DeMarco Jackson and Anfernee Orji uplifted spirits on Tuesday, October 29, visiting with young patients and their families at the Pediatric Cancer Unit at Ochsner Medical Center.
U.S. ARMY CAPTAIN NATE DEGEN SELECTED AS SAINTS TEAM NOMINEE FOR 2024 NFL SALUTE TO SERVICE AWARD
Each year, the Salute to Service Award recognizes NFL players, coaches, staff and alumni who make exceptional efforts to honor and support military and veteran communities. The Saints 2024 Salute to Service Award nominee is United States Army Captain Nate Degen, who works in the team’s business operations department.
The Saints hired Captain Degen, an established Army helicopter pilot, as a member of their staff prior to the start of the season. Degen’s role as fan engagement coordinator is focused on fan engagement experience within the business operations division. His hiring was a notable first as both the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans organizations are embracing the Department of Defense SkillBridge program, facilitating this collaboration between the military and professional sports organizations. Captain Degen, an established Army helicopter pilot, is transitioning from a military career to the world of sports management. Following a successful career in the Army, including serving as a Team Army athlete at the 2024 Department of Defense Warrior Games, Captain Degen has brought his remarkable resilience, adaptability, and leadership skills to both the Saints and Pelicans organizations.
Fans have an opportunity to vote for their favorite nominee, all of whom are selected by their respective NFL team, to help determine the award’s three finalists. To see all the nominees and cast your vote, visit //NFL.com/SaluteFanVote from now until November 30. Fans can submit one vote per day for their favorite nominee. The three finalists will be announced in January, and the recipient will be recognized at NFL Honors, a prime time awards special that will take place in New Orleans in February and air nationally during the week of Super Bowl LIX.
JORDAN GOES PINK AT DOMINICAN FOR CANCER AWARENESS
On Tuesday, October 29, Saints DE Cameron Jordan visited St. Mary’s Dominican High School to lend his support to the school’s annual “Pink Game” volleyball contest against archrival Mount Carmel Academy. With Jordan having a passion for emphasizing education and health and wellness among younger generations, this appearance was as special for him as the student body and faculty that were all in attendance. Jordan spent extensive time with the student body at a pep rally, which featured various fundraising vehicles related to cancer-related charities and causes. Jordan spared no time in getting in his element, encouraging the student body and praising them in their good work and then wishing them good luck in a matchup that ended with them defeating Mount Carmel in a five-set match.
Gayle Benson provides leadership for the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans. She succeeds her husband, Tom Benson, who passed away on March 15, 2018, after serving as Owner of the Saints since 1985 and the Pelicans since 2012. The New Orleans native is an accomplished business professional and philanthropist with strong ties to the local community and is dedicated to contributing to the growth and enhancement of the Gulf South region.
Mr. and Mrs. Benson worked together to build model NFL and NBA organizations, housed in stateof-the-art facilities at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, Caesars Superdome and Smoothie King Center, while making a positive impact in the community.
With the Saints franchise under the guidance of Mr. and Mrs. Benson, the team has reached new heights since 2006, when they entrusted Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis to set the direction for the organization. Since then, the franchise has reached its highest point of success, posting a 184-124 record from 2006-23, featuring 11 winning seasons, nine playoff berths, seven division titles, three NFC Championship appearances and the Super Bowl XLIV title.
In Mrs. Benson’s first six full seasons of ownership, New Orleans has posted five winning campaigns, three consecutive NFC South division titles (2018-20) and reached the 2018 NFC Championship game. No NFC team has matched the Saints’ 33 regular season road victories from 2018-23. Their 63 regular season wins are first in the NFC during the six-season period. 15 different Saints players have received a combined 32 Pro Bowl selections and nine separate players over the past six seasons have received Associated Press All-Pro honors.
The Caesars Superdome completed a five-year, $560 million, multi-phase transformation for the 2024 season, as it retains its standing as one of the world’s most iconic multipurpose facilities on the eve of hosting Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025. Home contests played at the facility have been sold out on a season ticket basis for every campaign since 2006, with a waiting list of over 73,000 and 182 consecutive sellouts
GAYLE BENSON OWNER
for contests played at the venue through the 2023 campaign. The team’s Ochsner Sports Performance Center, one of the most cutting edge practice facilities in the NFL, is in the midst of a one-year project featuring the construction a brand-new cafeteria and renovation of the draft room and weight room.
Following in the footsteps of her late husband, who played a significant role in the City of New Orleans hosting five Super Bowls during his ownership and wielded extensive influence and respect among fellow NFL owners with a 25-year tenure as Chairman of the Finance Committee, Mrs. Benson has become instrumental with her leadership in important league issues, serving on the Audit, Business Ventures and Hall of Fame Committees, as well as the Social Justice Working Group. She served as a key voice in securing New Orleans’ bid to host Super Bowl LIX, which will mark the 11th time the Crescent City will serve as a host, tying with Miami for the most Super Bowls by a host city. The economic impact of Super Bowl XLVII, played in 2013, which Mr. Benson successfully campaigned for, was $480 million for the greater New Orleans region, not to mention the exposure and charitable contributions that the National Football League makes during Super Bowl week that extends for generations. Mrs. Benson remains committed to bringing future Super Bowls to New Orleans.
Immediately upon Mr. and Mrs. Benson’s purchase of the former Hornets franchise from the NBA in 2012, construction began on a state-of-the-art basketball practice facility to house the entire organization together, while also rebranding as the Pelicans. Through agreements with the State of Louisiana upon the 2012 purchase, the Smoothie King Center has seen renovations, featuring a new center-hung HD scoreboard, which debuted in 2015, along with several additional fan upgrades. Through this commitment, NBA All-Star Weekend was awarded to New Orleans in 2014 and 2017, making the city one of just seven current NBA markets to host the mid-season event at least three times. Active in league affairs, Mrs. Benson, serves as a member of the NBA’s Labor Relations Committee and was named to the NBA Foundation Board of Directors in 2020. As a board member, she is constantly an advocate for the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. Since her 2020 addition, distributions by the foundation have benefited numerous deserving New Orleans nonprofits.
Mrs. Benson oversaw a significant overhaul of the Pelicans in 2019 when she hired Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin and committed to significant upgrades to the Ochsner Sports Performance Center’s basketball
facilities. Through the support of these organizational improvements by Mrs. Benson, combined with several important player acquisitions through the draft, free agency and trades and the hiring of Head Coach Willie Green, the Pelicans have established a solid foundation, reaching the 2023-24 playoffs.
Community investment and giving back have been hallmarks of Mr. and Mrs. Benson’s ownership of the Saints and Pelicans. This tradition continues under Mrs. Benson’s stewardship, sharing her late husband’s vision and passion for helping others. She has further enriched the New Orleans community through her support to causes in the health and wellness, cancer care, education, arts and faith-based sectors.
As dedicated corporate citizens, the Saints and Pelicans annually put millions of dollars back into the community in financial support, in-kind donations, charitable appearances and donations of goods and services. Mrs. Benson’s philanthropic leadership has been recognized far and wide since becoming Owner.
Mrs. Benson has always quickly responded and taken action to conditions that affect the local community adversely. With the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Ida providing multiple challenges to the New Orleans area and its citizens over a two-year period, Mrs. Benson donated over $2 million, partnering with the Greater New Orleans Foundation to assist local organizations and individuals in need to help the region and its residents recover from difficult circumstances. In 2020, utilizing the platform of the Saints and Pelicans to harness the unifying power of sport to advance race relations across both the Gulf South and the country, she formed the Social Justice Leadership Alliance to advocate for issues of change in minority communities.
In 2014, Mrs. Benson was honored by the New Orleans Council for Community and Justice with its Weiss Award, recognizing achievement for exceptional civic and humanitarian contributions. In 2015, the couple were honored by the regional chapter of the Anti-Defamation League with the A.I. Botnick Torch of Liberty Award. In 2018, she and Mr. Benson (posthumously) were honored by two of the city’s leading higher education institutions. They received a Dermot McGlinchey Lifetime Achievement Award from Tulane University, honoring those who have demonstrated service, volunteer involvement and commitment to Tulane and their hometown communities and were inducted into the University of New Orleans’ Hall of Distinction.
In 2019, Mrs. Benson received several important honors. She was honored by Xavier University of Louisiana with the Sister Maris Stella “Women of Faith” Award and was recognized by the UNCF with the group’s
MASKED Award for her support of educational opportunities for all. Additionally, Mrs. Benson was honored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl Chapter of the National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame with its Distinguished American Award. The National World War II Museum selected her as an American Spirit Medallion recipient. The Greater New Orleans Foundation also honored Mrs. Benson with the organization’s Spark Plug Award, given to an individual whose philanthropy in the greater New Orleans community has been exemplary.
In 2021, Mrs. Benson was presented by the University of Holy Cross with its Spes Unica Award, the educational institution’s highest honor, based on her support of the university’s mission to educate both the mind and heart. She was the Times-Picayune’s 2021 Loving Cup award winner, an honor which has been presented since 1901 to men and women who have performed exemplary service to the community without expecting material recognition.
In 2022, Mrs. Benson was recognized by the local charity, Clover, as a co-recipient of the Reverend Beverley Warner Ward, for her extensive work with the non-profit whose mission is to educate children, strengthen families and build community. Mrs. Benson was honored by the American Cancer Society’s Louisiana Chapter with their 2022 Heart & Soul Award for her constant support in the fight against cancer through the services provided to cancer patients, families and caregivers at Ochsner’s Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center. She was also recognized by the Southeast Louisiana Council, Boy Scouts of America with their 2022 “Distinguished Citizen” Award.
In 2023, Mrs. Benson was honored as a “Louisiana Legend” by Louisiana Public Broadcasting for distinguishing herself in the sports field and through her philanthropy. Realizing the need for the commitment to people with disabilities by her sports organizations and business ventures, whether enhancing their fan experience or providing employment opportunities/support, she was selected for the 2023 Human Highlight Never Moment Award by the KultureCity organization. With Mrs. Benson’s encouragement, the Saints became a founding partner of the HBCU Legacy Bowl all-star game held in New Orleans, establishing financial support for the contest and its week of events, which includes hosting a scouting combine for participants at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center and a career fair for both players and HBCU students. The career fair attracts over 100 regional and national employers to help provide opportunities and networking for HBCU students. In recognition of her support of the events, Mrs. Benson received the 2023 Black College Football Hall of Fame Founders Award. Mrs. Benson was also inducted into the Louisiana Center for Women in Government & Business (LCWGB) Hall of Fame alongside former Louisiana first lady, Donna Edwards. Mrs. Benson also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the LCWGB, which recognized her remarkable achievements in business and her unwavering generosity toward various causes across the state of Louisiana. In 2024, at Washington Mardi Gras, Mrs. Benson received the Humanitarian of the Century Award from
U.S. Senator John Kennedy, which recognized her continuous philanthropic efforts throughout New Orleans, the state of Louisiana, and the Gulf South region.
In addition to serving on the boards of several local educational institutions and the New Orleans Museum of Art, Mrs. Benson is also a member of the Audubon Commission, which oversees the Audubon Nature Institute.
Mrs. Benson has been a longtime trusted and valued member of the local Catholic community, reflecting her deep religious faith. She has worked tirelessly with the Archdiocese of New Orleans’ Catholic Charities organization and its umbrella agencies that feature almost 50 programs and three affiliated ministries. These organizations deliver health and human services to those in need in the eight Southeast Louisiana parishes, which the Archdiocese serves, as well as food and nutrition services throughout the state. Mrs. Benson has worked closely with St. Louis Cathedral’s Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) program. Currently, she is in the midst of leading an unprecedented effort to repair and restore the St. Louis Cathedral with the Our City, Our Cathedral campaign, which aims to restore the city’s most iconic building after suffering from nearly two centuries of wear and tear, water damage and settling.
Mrs. Benson’s support of the Catholic Church has been recognized numerous times locally, nationally and on an international level. In 2002, she received the Medal of the Order of St. Louis Award for dedication to the Church. In 2010, she became an Honorary Oblate of Mary Immaculate and in recognition of longstanding support of Catholic education, Mr. and Mrs. Benson received the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award from the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA). In 2012, Mr. and Mrs. Benson received from Pope Benedict XVI the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award, which recognizes outstanding service to the Church and the Pontiff, the highest Papal award granted to a lay person. She holds a leadership role after being inducted as Dame Commander with Star in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and is a commander of the Order of St. Lazarus, a confraternity of Christian faithful who profess their commitment to Jesus Christ. In February, she was recognized by FADICA, the leading Catholic philanthropic network of foundations and donors supporting Catholic activities and initiatives, with the Mary Magdalene Medal of Service, which recognizes someone who shares their time, talent and treasure with the Church. She was also the recipient of the Catholic Community Foundation’s 2024 St. John Paul II Award, a prestigious honor presented by the Archbishop and the foundation to an outstanding Catholic layperson who exhibits unwavering faith, inspirational generosity, and a deep commitment to the New Orleans community.
Mrs. Benson began her professional career in 1968 as a manager for a noted New York-based jeweler. She was responsible for overseeing and managing the daily operation of over 40 sales associates. She then branched out into real estate development, which allowed her to successfully integrate her passion for interior design with property management. Her first real estate transaction occurred in 1978 when she purchased a home in New
Orleans’s Irish Channel and then sold the property eight months later after extensive restoration. She would go on to purchase, manage and eventually sell numerous properties, primarily in the city’s Uptown district.
In 1975, Mrs. Benson began a 30-year design industry career where she achieved tremendous success. Throughout the course of her interior design career, she was recognized with numerous professional awards and served as an inaugural member on the Louisiana State Board of Licensing for Interior Designers for four years. She directed numerous major design efforts with her clients, including the Caesars Superdome (formerly Louisiana Superdome and Mercedes-Benz Superdome), several of the city’s most prestigious hotels, local supermarket chains, automobile dealerships, yachts and many others.
In 2000, Mrs. Benson worked with the Superdome on renovations to the iconic New Orleans landmark’s third and fourth level public spaces, in addition to renovations on select suites. She also owned and developed a commercial real estate building on the corner of Laura and Octavia Streets, a women’s clothing private enterprise called “Toujours la Ligne” and a designer’s showroom called “Designers Resource” which served as a wholesale location for designers and architects seeking to purchase fabric, wall coverings and accessories. The Men of Fashion Committee recognized Mrs. Benson as one of the “Ten Best Dressed Women in New Orleans” in 1983.
In addition to her ownership of the Saints and Pelicans, Mrs. Benson established GMB Racing Stables in 2014 with an initial purchase of seven colts and hiring three veteran trainers, all with Louisiana ties. In 2016, two of the thoroughbreds, Mo Tom and Tom’s Ready, participated in the Kentucky Derby. Another thoroughbred, Lone Sailor, ran in the 2018 Kentucky Derby and Preakness. She owns Benson Farm in Paris, Ky., a 1,000-acre farm with nearly 50 horses. As part of her passion for horse racing, she is a member of the esteemed Jockey Club of New York. Mrs. Benson also serves as Owner of seven automotive dealerships (Best Chevrolet, Cadillac of New Orleans, Mercedes-Benz of New Orleans, Mercedes-Benz Van Center, Mercedes-Benz of South Mississippi, Porsche New Orleans, Volkswagen of South Mississippi, Infiniti of South Mississippi), three premier collision centers across Mississippi and Louisiana, Benson Tower, Benson Capital Partners, Corporate Realty and is also a co-owner of the Hyatt Regency New Orleans. Mrs. Benson was born in New Orleans and grew up in the Old Algiers section of the city. She began her education in Catholic schools and in 1966 graduated from Martin Behrman High School in Algiers. She received a Doctorate of Letters from Notre Dame Seminary in 2014. Serving as keynote speaker at their respective commencement ceremonies, Mrs. Benson has been awarded honorary degrees from University of Holy Cross (2015), Southern University of New Orleans (2021), Delgado Community College (2022) and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Loyola University New Orleans (2019).
Mr. and Mrs. Benson married on October 29, 2004 at the Immaculate Conception Memorial Chapel.
In his 32nd year of coaching, his 16th in the National Football League and sixth with the Saints, Darren Rizzi was named interim head coach of the New Orleans Saints on November 4, 2024. Rizzi has coordinated highly successful special teams units for the Miami Dolphins (2010-18) and Saints (2019-present). He also added assistant head coach responsibilities in 2022 in New Orleans and also had associate head coach duties in Miami from 2017-18.
Rizzi’s units have ranked in the top half of NFL writer Rick Gosselin’s annual special teams rankings in 12 of the 13 full years that he has served as a coordinator, including first in 2019, fifth in both 2020 and 2021 and second in 2023. Since he entered the NFL coaching ranks in 2009, seven special teams players have been named to eight Pro Bowls under his tutelage. Rizzi has also coached six players to the NFL All-Rookie team in the past ten years.
Over his Saints coaching career, Rizzi’s work on special teams have made the kicking game an integral part of New Orleans’ success since 2019. On coverage units, J.T. Gray’s 81 tackles rank first in the NFL. The punting game has produced the top three seasons in club history for punts inside-the20-yard line. Since 2019, the Saints have excelled in the return game. Over the five-and-a-half season period, the team ranks seventh in the NFL in punt return average (10.3) and second in punt return touchdowns (3). The coverage units have allowed the third-lowest punt return average (7.1).
Last season, New Orleans finished in the Top 10 in the NFL in 13-of-22 special teams categories, leading or sharing the lead in five of them and finishing second in two others. New Orleans finished first in the league in opponent punt return average (5.6), while giving their defense the second-best starting point after kickoffs (24.2). Second-year WR/RS Rashid Shaheed was selected as a Pro Bowl starter as a return specialist and as an Associated Press first-team All-Pro punt returner, ranking third in the NFL in punt return average (13.6) with a 76-yard touchdown, the third-longest return in franchise history. Youth was served, as a total of nine rookies
DARREN RIZZI
INTERIM HEAD COACH
PLAYING CAREER: Rhode Island, 1989-92.
COACHING CAREER: Colgate, 1993; New Haven, 1994-97; Northeastern, 1998; New Haven (Head Coach), 1999-2001; Rutgers, 2002-07; Rhode Island (Head Coach),2008; Miami Dolphins, 2009-18; New Orleans Saints, 2019- (Interim Head Coach, 2024).
or first-year players contributed to the Saints special teams, including K Blake Grupe and LB Nephi Sewell. Grupe set the club rookie record with 30 field goals, led the team with 130 points and ranked third in the NFL with 76 touchbacks. Sewell recorded five coverage stops and forced a fumble by the punter in Week 14 that was recovered for a touchdown.
In 2022, the Saints special teams units delivered another productive season. After a seasonending toe injury suffered by Deonte Harty, Shaheed had a 9.7 average on 20 punt returns as a rookie. Despite missing three contests, Gray led the Saints with 12 coverage stops. P Blake Gillikin had a team-record 32 punts inside-the-20.
In 2021, Gray received his first career selection as a Pro Bowl starter after leading the NFL with 19 special teams tackles and was an AP first-team All-Pro. LB Andrew Dowell, in his first full NFL season, tied for fifth in the league with 14 coverage stops and blocked a punt. In his first season handling punting duties, 29 of Gillikin’s punts were downed inside the 20-yard line, ranked fourth in the NFL and tying a team record at the time. The Saints special teams unit ranked fourth in the NFL in opponent average starting position after kickoffs (24.1-yard line) and eighth in punt return average (10.0).
In 2020, Rizzi fielded a unit that ranked first in opponent punt return average (2.3), second in opponent kickoff return average (17.2), sixth in kickoff return average (25.4 avg.) and ninth in punt return average (10.2 avg.), while ranking third in opponent average starting position after kickoffs (23.8-yard line) and ninth in average starting position after kickoffs (25.9-yard line). Harty had a 12.2 punt return average and 27.3 kickoff return average.
In his first season with New Orleans in 2019, Rizzi worked with a unit that rose to first in Gosselin’s rankings, featuring standout performances from Harty, K Wil Lutz, P Thomas Morstead and Gray. For the first time in franchise history, two special teams players were selected to the AP All-Pro team (Gray and Harty) and for the second time two were selected to the Pro Bowl (Harty and
Lutz). An undrafted free agent, Harty ranked in the top five in the NFL in kickoff and punt return average. Lutz set a team record by drilling 32 field goals, ranking second in the NFL in scoring (144 points), PATs (48) and touchbacks (career-high 74) and third in field goals. Morstead ranked fifth in the NFL in net punting average (43.1), was named the September NFC Special Teams Player of the Month and twice was selected conference Special Teams Player of the Week. Gray led the Saints with 16 coverage stops, blocked a punt and recovered a fumble on coverage.
The 2018 Dolphins graded out fourth in the NFL in Gosselin’s rankings. Jason Sanders drilled 18-of20 (90.0 pct.) field goal attempts and was a PFWA All-Rookie selection, one of only four kickers to kick in all of his team’s games and miss just two or fewer field goals and one of only four to miss three or fewer kicks. His 90.0 field goal percentage was ranked eighth in the NFL and fifth-best in Dolphins history. Matt Haack’s 35 punts downed inside the 20 ranked fifth in the NFL. Miami was ninth in the NFL in punt return average (10.5 avg.) with Jakeem Grant leading the league (16.3) before being placed on Injured Reserve in Week 13.
The 2017 Dolphins were tied for second in the NFL with three blocked kicks – two field goals and one punt. Cody Parkey tied what was a team field goal percentage record by converting 21-of-23 attempts (91.3 pct.), including a 54-yard game-winner, the longest game-winner in team history. He also successfully converted four onside kicks, the most in NFL history since records date back to 1997. Miami’s kickoff coverage unit was the best in the NFL, forcing opponents to start on average at their own 23-yard line. The team graded out at No. 11 in Gosselin’s rankings and Pro Football Focus ranked the team’s special teams No. 6 in the NFL. S Michael Thomas was named PFF’s Special Teamer of the Year and led the Dolphins with 11 coverage tackles.
Miami ranked seventh in Gosselin’s rankings in 2016, led the league in opponent gross punting average (41.8) and tied for the NFL lead with four blocked kicks. Andrew Franks made his first two career game-winning field goals and drilled
an important 55-yarder at Buffalo (Dec. 24) as the field goal unit was rushing onto the field to tie the score and send the contest to overtime. The eventual Dolphins win solidified the team’s first playoff berth since 2008. Grant and KR Kenyan Drake each had touchdown returns, becoming the second Dolphins rookie tandem and fourth NFL rookie duo to return a punt and kickoff for a touchdown in the same season. Thomas tied for the NFL lead in special teams tackles (19, including a league-best 16 solo). Walt Aikens scored the first two-point defensive conversion in team history after he returned a blocked PAT for two points. The team finished in the top ten in several additional special teams units including opponents starting field position following a kickoff (tenth/24.4 yard line), own starting field position following a kickoff (eighth/25.3 yard line) and opponent net punting average (third/37.4 yards per punt).
In 2015, WR Jarvis Landry earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his Week One performance, when he returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown. Landry ranked fourth in the NFL with 356 punt return yards. Matt Darr posted the fourth-best gross punting average (47.6) in team history and earned NFL All-Rookie team honors as his punting average was third in the league. Franks was 13-for-16 in field goal attempts as a rookie. The Dolphins ranked in the top 10 in five special teams categories.
In 2014, Rizzi guided a special teams unit that set the team record with three blocked punts. They also added two blocked field goals, giving Miami five blocked kicks, the most since the team blocked seven in 1977. Explosive plays were not limited to the block units as Landry won October AFC Special Teams Player of the Month when he returned five kickoffs for 178 yards (35.6 avg.), with a long of 54. The 35.6 average kickoff return was the second-highest in the NFL in October and the highest October
average in franchise history. Landry finished the season with a 28.1 kick return average, the fourthhighest in the NFL and tops among rookies.
In 2013, for the third-straight season, Dolphins special teams were rated among the top eight units in the NFL based on Gosselin’s annual rankings. Miami was one of three teams to remain in the top 10 (along with Baltimore and Seattle) in both the 2013 and 2012 rankings. Additionally, from 2011-13, only Miami and Seattle were ranked in the top 10. Rizzi’s units were highlighted by the play of P Brandon Fields, who earned his first Pro Bowl berth. Fields ranked second in the NFL in gross punting average (48.8), second in net average (42.4, which was eighth-best in NFL history at the time), tied for fourth with 33 punts inside the 20-yard line and also recorded the third-longest punt (74 yards) during the season as he was selected to the Pro Bowl.
The 2012 campaign was built off a strong 2011 season for Dolphins special teams. Gosselin ranked Miami as the NFL’s fourth-best special teams unit, making the Dolphins the only team in the NFL to rank in the top five in both 2012 and 2011, following a second place finish in 2011. Fields continued to establish himself as one of the most productive punters in NFL history, leading the league with a 50.2 average, while moving into first place in team history for highest career punting average (46.4), highest-career net punting average (38.7) and second place in NFL history for highest-career punting average (46.4). Marcus Thigpen became the first player in team history to return a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the same season. Thigpen also stood alone as the only player in the NFL to rank in the top five in kickoff return average (27.4) and punt return average (12.2). Additionally, Miami became the first NFL team in the last 20 years to block a field goal, block a punt and recover their own onside kick in the same game.
After Rizzi took over the special teams in Week Five of the 2010 season, the Dolphins improved in almost every major statistical special teams category, including net and gross punting average, punt and kickoff return average, average drive start and opponent’s gross and net punting average. He led an impressive 2011 campaign by the Dolphins special teams. The Dolphins showed the biggest improvement of any NFL special teams unit from 2010 to 2011 according to Gosselin’s annual report. The improvement saw the Dolphins jump from their 2010 ranking of 24th in the NFL to second in 2011. The 22-place advancement was aided by K Dan Carpenter’s 13-of-16 in field goals from 40 yards and beyond and Fields’ net punting average of 41.1 yards. Rizzi joined the Dolphins with four years of experience as a college head coach, including 2008 at the University of Rhode Island. Prior to taking over the program at URI, Rizzi was an assistant at Rutgers for the previous six seasons (2002-07), where he headed up the Scarlet Knights’ special teams units. He also tutored the team’s running backs his first three years and the linebackers his final three. In addition, he held the title of assistant head coach from 2004-06 and associate head coach in 2007. In Rizzi’s six years at Rutgers, he coached three players who earned firstteam All-Big East honors in special teams including kick returner Nate Jones (2002), kick/punt returner Willie Foster (2005) and punter Joe Radigan (2006). Jones also was named the conference’s co-Special Teams Player of the Year in 2002 while Foster was the Big East Special Teams Player of the Year in 2005.
Before his Rutgers stint, Rizzi was head coach at the University of New Haven, where he guided the Chargers to a three-year record of 15-14 from 1999-2001. He was the special teams and linebackers coach at Northeastern University in 1998. He coached at New Haven from 1994-97, where he was defensive coordinator in his final year, after overseeing the special teams and defensive line his first three. Rizzi began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Colgate in 1993.
Rizzi played tight end at Rhode Island, where he first walked on in 1988. He went on to tally 160 receptions for 2,426 yards (15.2 avg.) and 15 touchdowns in his collegiate career and was a consensus All-American in 1992. He was signed as a free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles prior to beginning his coaching career.
A native of Hillsdale, N.J. and graduate of Bergen Catholic High School, Rizzi earned a degree in speech communications from URI in 1992. In 2013, he was inducted into the Bergen Catholic Hall of Fame. A two-sport high school star, he concluded his prep football career with 69 receptions, a school record which stood for 22 years, also excelling as an All-League outfielder for the baseball team.
He and his wife, Tracey, have two daughters, Mackenzie and Alexandra, and three sons, Christian, Casey and Cameron.
Dennis Lauscha, a native New Orleanian, has been a fan of the Saints since he was a young boy. He attended Jesuit High School and received degrees in Business, first from the University of Alabama, followed by an M.B.A. from Loyola University. Starting out his career as a C.P.A, Lauscha worked for a major global financial services firm before his decades long career with the Saints. He first joined the Saints in 1998 as Treasurer, and as a result of his hard work, loyalty and business acumen, Lauscha rose through the executive ranks to serve as Vice President, Senior Vice President and Executive Vice President before reaching his now esteemed post as President of both the Saints and Pelicans since 2012. In his role, he oversees the club’s financial operations, government affairs, marketing, ticket and suite sales, legal, stadium, community affairs, human resources, business intelligence and information technology and serves as a representative for both clubs at NFL and NBA Owners meetings.
In addition to his Saints and Pelicans duties, Lauscha holds multiple roles within Mrs. Benson’s business enterprises, maintaining a role in the management of her regional automotive dealerships and collision centers, Corporate Realty, GMB Racing, and Benson Capital Partners.
Lauscha’s collaborative style, financial acumen and long-term view has played a key role as a member of a contingent that has ne-
gotiated agreements for both the Saints and Pelicans with the state of Louisiana. These have resulted in long-term lease agreements, continuous improvements to their playing and practice facilities, revitalization of the areas around them and generated revenue for the state without any new taxes for citizens.
Lauscha currently serves as a member of the Business Council of New Orleans & the River Region, as a board member of the Audubon Nature Institute, Loyola University, the Greater New Orleans Foundation, and as a trustee of the National World War II Museum. His professional and charitable work was recognized by New Orleans CityBusiness, when he was selected as one of the 40 Most Influential Members of the Community.
In 2010, he was named the Alumnus of the Year by Loyola’s College of Business and was named to the Class of Role Models by the Young Leadership Council. He was honored by the Sugar Bowl Chapter of the National Football Foundation with its 2014 Distinguished American Award. In 2016, he was inducted into the Order of West Range for the Pi Kappa Alpha Foundation. He was honored as a 2019 Laureate of Junior Achievement’s Greater New Orleans chapter and as Chairman of the organization’s 2023 Business Hall of Fame. He was named 2022 Jesuit High School’s Alumnus of the Year. Most recently, he was honored as a 2024 Pillar of Scouting by Boy Scouts of America.
- EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT/GENERAL MANAGER
Mickey Loomis is in his 23rd season in his current position and 25th with the Saints. The 37-year NFL front office veteran has been honored with some of the most prestigious awards presented to a league executive, yet his most satisfying career achievement has come in helping mold a roster that’s produced many of the franchise’s finest moments over the last 18 seasons, including the Super Bowl XLIV championship.
In 2006, after being the key figure in the hiring of Head Coach Sean Payton, the signing of Drew Brees and overseeing the rebuild of a team that would advance to the NFC Championship, Loomis was voted Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers of America NFL Executive of the Year. He was also honored as the The Sporting News George Young Executive of the Year, an award voted on annually by NFL front-office executives and owners.
Loomis has continued to build on the success of 2006, highlighted by 11 winning seasons, nine postseason appearances, seven division titles, three NFC Championship berths and the Super Bowl victory.
Over the past 22 years, he’s brought aboard a group of players who have played a key role in New Orleans posting a 203-152 regular season record through a combination of the draft, free agency and trades, while presiding over the club’s ability to re-sign their core play-
ers. He’s just the ninth person in the 105-year history of the NFL to oversee 200 regular season career wins as the official acting General Manager. Loomis has been a key figure in the highest management circle of the organization since arriving in 2000 as director of football administration, prior to his 2002 promotion. In 2005, Loomis helped steer the club through unprecedented challenges, calmly guided the staff and players through a sudden evacuation and multiple base of operations moves in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Loomis has overseen several renovations and facility upgrades at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, giving the club one of the NFL’s top training complexes. In 2024, renovated weight room facilities and a new team cafeteria will debut.
Prior to arriving in New Orleans, Loomis spent 15 years with the Seattle Seahawks, including as executive vice president from 199298. He joined the Seahawks in 1983, was promoted to vice president/finance in 1990 and to executive vice president in 1992. The Eugene, Ore., native has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Oregon and a master’s degree in sports administration from Wichita State.
Married to Melanie, Loomis has four children: Alex, Katherine, Sam and Lucy.
GREG ROUCHELL Senior Vice President of Human Resources
DENNIS LAUSCHA - PRESIDENT
BEN HALES
Senior Vice President of Marketing & Operations / Chief Operating Officer
ED LANG
Senior Vice President of Finance / Chief Financial Officer
VICKY NEUMEYER
Senior Vice President/ General Counsel
GREG BENSEL
Senior VP of Communications, Broadcast, Community Relations & Governmental Relations
MICHAEL STANFIELD
Senior Vice President of Sales
MICKEY LOOMIS
ENDS COACH
Clancy Barone enters his second season as the Saints tight ends coach after leading the unit to a successful 2023 campaign. Barone has 35 years of coaching experience, with his first 17 at the collegiate level and his last 18 in the NFL.
New Orleans is the sixth NFL stop for Barone, having previously coached either tight ends or offensive line with the Atlanta Falcons (2004-06), San Diego Chargers (2007-08), Denver Broncos (200916), Minnesota Vikings (2017-18) and Chicago Bears (2020-21) and Saints (2023-). As a tight ends coach, Barone has had four players voted to the Pro Bowl with four different teams: the Falcons’ Alge Crumpler, the Chargers’ Antonio Gates, the Broncos’ Julius Thomas and the Vikings’ Kyle Rudolph.
The Saints tight ends group was led by Juwan Johnson in 2023, and under Barone’s tutelage, he recorded 37 receptions for 359 yards with
John Benton, a 33-year veteran in the coaching ranks, including 19 in the NFL, enters his first season as offensive line coach with the New Orleans Saints. Of the NFL offensive lines he has directed since 2004, Benton’s units have finished in the top ten in the league in rushing yards per game seven times.
Benton spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator of the New York Jets. In 2022, Benton’s position group showcased their depth and versatility as nine different starters formed seven different combinations, with the Jets improving their win total by three games. Before suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week Seven, rookie running back Breece Hall shined behind the Jets offensive line, carrying 80 times for 463 yards (5.8 avg.) with four touchdowns and catching 19 passes for 218 yards with one touchdown.
RICK
- SENIOR OFFENSIVE ASSISTANT
Entering his 28th season of coaching in the NFL, Rick Dennison has been part of 13 playoff appearances, five division titles, and three Super Bowl victories. He served as offensive line coach/run game coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings from 2019-20 and as senior offensive advisor in 2021.
Dennison has consistently been a part of winning programs, the teams he has coached for posting a .500 or better record in 20 of his 27 NFL seasons and has been part of 12 seasons of ten or more wins. His 17 seasons in Denver resulted in three Super Bowl titles, eight playoff appearances, four AFC West titles and eight seasons of ten or more wins. Dennison has coached 18 different Pro Bowl players across seven different positions, including six offensive linemen. Of those six,
After serving as a training camp intern in 2022, Jahri Evans began his full-time coaching career in 2023 and enters his second season as an offensive assistant with the New Orleans Saints.
Evans was drafted by the Saints in the fourth round (108th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft and spent the first 11 seasons of his 12-year playing career with the Saints. Overall, he started 183 career regular season games at right guard for the Saints (2006-16) and Green Bay Packers (2017), 169 for the Black and Gold. Evans also opened all ten Saints playoff games at his position. Evans was a six-time Pro Bowl selection, a five-time AP All-Pro and was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2010’s All-Decade Team, as New Orleans finished in the Top Ten in total offense each of the 11 seasons he lined up for the Saints, while the 196 sacks surrendered by the line over the period were the lowest in the NFC and second-lowest in the NFL. After being selected as a consensus All-Rookie in 2006, Evans
four touchdowns, despite missing four games with a calf injury. Foster Moreau contributed as both a blocker and receiver with 21 grabs and one touchdown, while Jimmy Graham was a valuable red zone target with four touchdown catches.
Barone played on the offensive line at the University of Nevada and Sacramento State University, and holds a place in the Hornets Athletics Hall of Fame.
PLAYING CAREER: Nevada, 1983-84; Sacramento State, 1985-86.
COACHING CAREER: American River College, 1983-84; Sacramento State, 1991-92; Texas A&M, 1993; Eastern Illinois, 1994-96; University of Wyoming, 1997-99; University of Houston, 2000-02; Texas State University, 2003; Atlanta Falcons, 2004-06; San Diego Chargers, 2007-08; Denver Broncos, 2009-16; Minnesota Vikings, 2017-18; Chicago Bears, 2020-21; New Orleans Saints 2023–.
Entering the starting lineup in Week Five after recovering from an injury, left tackle Duane Brown did not give up a sack in 12 contests.
A four-year starter as an offensive lineman at Colorado State (1983-86), the Durango, Col., native earned honorable mention All-WAC honors during his junior and senior seasons, and was named conference All-Academic as a senior. In 1987, Benton had a stint on the Saints practice squad.
PLAYING CAREER: Colorado State, 1983-86.
COACHING CAREER: Colorado State, 1987-90 and 1995-2003; California University of Pennsylvania, 1990-94; St. Louis Rams, 2004-05; Houston Texans, 2006-13; Miami Dolphins, 2014-15; Jacksonville Jaguars, 2016; San Francisco 49ers, 2017-20; New York Jets, 202122; New Orleans Saints, 2024-.
five made their first Pro Bowl appearance under him, while three made all their trips with him as their coach.
Undrafted out of Colorado State, Dennison played nine seasons at linebacker for the Broncos. At CSU, he earned three letters and was named a second-team Academic All-American as a senior. Dennison earned two degrees in civil engineering from CSU, first his bachelor’s in 1979 and later his master’s in 1982.
PLAYING CAREER: Colorado State, 1976, 1978-79; Denver Broncos, 1982-90.
COACHING CAREER: Suffield (Conn.) Academy, 1992-94; Denver Broncos, 1995-2009 and 2015-16; Houston Texans, 2010-13; Baltimore Ravens, 2014; Buffalo Bills, 2017; New York Jets, 2018; Minnesota Vikings, 2019-21; New Orleans Saints, 2024-.
was a Pro Bowl starter and consensus first-team All-Pro each season from 2009-12. He was elected to the Saints Hall of Fame in 2020, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2022 and was a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023 and a finalist for the Class of 2024. Evans will be inducted into the Saints Ring of Honor in November.
A three-year starter at Bloomsburg, which he originally attended on a combined academic/athletic scholarship, Evans anchored the left tackle position and was a finalist for the Division II Gene Upshaw Offensive Player of the Year Award in 2004 and 2005. The Philadelphia native graduated with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and received his MBA from the University of Miami in Executive Business Administration. Evans and his wife, Takia, have two sons.
PLAYING CAREER: Bloomsburg, 2001-05; New Orleans Saints, 2006-16; Green Bay Packers, 2017.
COACHING CAREER: New Orleans Saints, 2023-.
DENNISON
CLANCY BARONE - TIGHT
JAHRI EVANS - OFFENSIVE ASSISTANT
JOHN BENTON - OFFENSIVE LINE COACH
DERRICK FOSTER - RUNNING BACKS COACH
Derrick Foster enters his first season with the New Orleans Saints as running backs coach after the 13-year coaching veteran spent his first three NFL campaigns in the same position with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Under the tutelage of Foster, Austin Ekeler totaled 44 regular-season scrimmage touchdowns (20 in 2021, 18 in 2022 and six in 2023), ranking first in the NFL over that span, and led the league in his first two seasons. Ekeler added a pair of rushing touchdowns in the 2022 AFC Wild Card Playoff at Jacksonville, making him the seventh player in NFL history to register back-to-back seasons with 20 touchdowns (regular and postseason combined). Ekeler’s 228 receptions for 1,805 yards with 14 touchdowns led NFL running backs in catches and
Phil Galiano enters his sixth season with the Saints as assistant special teams coach. Galiano is a veteran in the coaching ranks with 24 years of experience, including eight seasons in the NFL.
Galiano’s work with Darren Rizzi has made the kicking game an integral part of New Orleans’ success. On coverage units, J.T. Gray’s 65 tackles rank second in the NFL. The punting game has produced the top three seasons in club history for punts insidethe-20-yard line. Since 2019, the Saints have excelled in the return game. Over the five-season period, the team has been ranked sixth in the NFL in punt return average (10.1), while the coverage units have allowed the third-lowest punt return average (7.0). The special
Orleans after contributing on defense and special teams in 2010.
The Clovis, Calif., native was a fourth round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2005 out of California and enjoyed a nine-year NFL career with the Colts (2005-08), Green Bay Packers (2009), Saints (2010), Oakland Raiders (2011-12) and St. Louis Rams (2013), starting 30-of-116 career games, while accumulating 202 tackles, one sack, 11 interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns, 16 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, 52 special teams stops and one coverage fumble recovery. He also appeared in seven postseason games for the Colts and Packers, and was a member of Indianapolis’ Super Bowl XLI championship team.
Following his playing career, Giordano served as head coach at his high school alma mater, Buchanan High School in Clovis, where he
Peter Giunta (pronounced GEN-ta) enters his tenth season as a Saints senior defensive assistant in 2024. He’s a 45-year coaching veteran, including 33 years of experience in the NFL with three Super Bowl Championships.
In 2023, Giunta played an integral role in implementing the defensive scheme in the secondary along with secondary coach Marcus Robertson and defensive assistant Matt Giordano. As a team, the Saints forced 29 turnovers after recording only 14 in 2022, ranked fourth in the NFL. The team’s 18 interceptions, up from seven in 2022, were tied for third in the league, with 16 coming from the secondary. New Orleans led the NFL with 99 pass breakups, with three Saints ranked in the top 10. Under the guid -
receiving yardage over the three-season span under Foster’s tutelage, while tying for first in touchdown grabs.
Foster played running back and wide receiver at Southwest Baptist (Mo.). He started 41-of-44 career game appearances at wideout for the Bearcats and finished his career with 2,062 all-purpose yards. The Goshen, Ala., native graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in sports management and went on to earn a master’s degree in public administration from Valdosta State in 2013.
PLAYING CAREER: Southwest Baptist, 2005-10.
COACHING CAREER: Valdosta State, 2011; Tennessee, 2012; Northwestern State (La.), 2013-15; Samford, 2016-17; Iowa, 2018-20; Los Angeles Chargers, 2021-23; New Orleans Saints, 2024-.
teams units have not given up a touchdown since 2019.
A three-year starter at safety for Shippensburg, Galiano served as a tri-captain during his senior campaign. He helped lead the Raiders to consecutive winning seasons (1997-99). The Norristown, Pa., native graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
PLAYING CAREER: Shippensburg, 1996-99.
COACHING CAREER: Dickinson, 2000; New Haven, 2001; Villanova, 2002; Rutgers, 2003-06; Florida International, 2007-09; Rutgers, 2010-11; Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2012-13; Rutgers, 2014-15; Miami Dolphins, 2016; Penn State, 2017-18; New Orleans Saints, 2019-.
of
In 2022, he served as a volunteer assistant at Fresno State.
Giordano played two years at the University of California after transferring from Fresno City College. He started 14-of-25 games at safety for Cal and posted 111 career tackles, four stops for a loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, six pass breakups and two interceptions. He was an honorable-mention All-America selection and first-team All-Pac-10 honoree in 2004, when he totaled 61 tackles, 1.5 stops for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, six passes defensed and one interception. Giordano was inducted into the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019.
PLAYING CAREER: Fresno City College, 2001-02; California, 2003-04; Indianapolis Colts, 2005-08; Green Bay Packers, 2009; New Orleans Saints, 2010; Oakland Raiders, 2011-12; St. Louis Rams, 2013. COACHING CAREER: Buchanan High School (Head Coach), 2016-21; Fresno State, 2022; New Orleans Saints, 2023-.
ance of Giunta, CB Paulson Adebo had a club-best six takeaways and ranked third in the NFL with 18 passes defensed. S Tyrann Mathieu tied for the team lead with Adebo with four interceptions, one returned for a touchdown.
The Salem, Mass., native had a four-year playing career as a defensive back and running back at Northeastern (1974-44).
PLAYING CAREER: Northeastern, 1974-77.
COACHING CAREER: Swampscott (Mass.) High School, 1978-80; Penn State, 1981-83; Brown, 1984-87; Lehigh, 1988-90; Philadelphia Eagles, 1991-94; New York Jets, 1995-96; St. Louis Rams, 19972000; Kansas City Chiefs, 2001-05; New York Giants, 2006-14; New Orleans Saints, 2016–.
PETER GIUNTA - SENIOR DEFENSIVE ASSISTANT
Matt Giordano, a nine-year NFL veteran safety in the playing ranks, enters his second season as a defensive assistant with the Saints. This is his second stint in New
amassed a record
51-16.
MATT GIORDANO - DEFENSIVE ASSISTANT
PHIL GALIANO - ASSISTANT SPECIAL TEAMS COACH
Todd Grantham, a 34-year coaching veteran, is in his second season as the Saints’ defensive line coach. Grantham came to New Orleans after serving as an analyst at the University of Alabama in 2022. From 2018-21, He served as defensive coordinator at the University of Florida.
Grantham, who has extensive college and NFL experience, both along the front seven and as a defensive coordinator, fostered significant development and improvement out of some of New Orleans’ younger defenders. While defensive end Cameron Jordan continued to be the physical and emotional leader of the front four, Carl Granderson blossomed on the opposite side under Grantham’s tutelage with a career-high and team-best 8.5 sacks as part of a 78-tackle effort.
Bryan Bresee, the club’s first round pick, finished with 4.5 sacks and
Gristick’s responsibilities include producing self-scout breakdown reports, compilation of scouting reports, breakdown of Saints opponents, the organization of playbooks and assisting Linebackers Coach Michael Hodges with the position group during practice and in meetings.
Gristick came to New Orleans after serving on the coaching staff at Eastern Illinois University from 2018-22. His entire tenure in Charleston, he coached linebackers, adding the title of defensive game run coordinator in 2020. In 2022, he was promoted to defensive coordinator, while also continuing to coach the team’s linebackers.
Gristick came to Eastern Illinois after serving two seasons as an assis-
Michael Hodges enters his fifth season as linebackers coach. Hodges was originally hired by the Saints in the 2017 offseason as a defensive assistant and spent one season as assistant linebackers coach in 2019.
2023 saw Hodges working with the duo of Demario Davis and Pete Werner, who contributed to New Orleans ranking eighth in the NFL in scoring defense and tenth against the pass. Davis led the team in tackles for the sixth consecutive season (121) and became only the second Saint to reach the century mark in stops in six seasons. He put on a strong pass rush performance, ranking second on the team and tying his 2022 career-high, with 6.5 sacks. He was selected to the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive season and voted an AP All-Pro (second-team)
Andrew Janocko enters his first season as New Orleans’ quarterbacks coach. He has 13 years of coaching experience, including 11 in the NFL. He joins the Saints after spending the past two years as quarterbacks coach of the Chicago Bears.
Over the past two seasons, Janocko was instrumental in the development of signal-caller Justin Fields, who completed 419-of-688 (60.9 pct.) passes for 4,804 yards with 33 touchdown passes, while carrying 284 times for 1,800 yards (6.3 avg.) with 12 touchdowns in 28 starts. In Week 14 of the 2023 season, Fields became the secondfastest quarterback in NFL history to reach 2,000 rushing yards in only 36 games and only the third signal-caller with at least 2,000 rushing yards in his first three seasons. In 2023, despite playing in two fewer games than 2022 due to injuries, Fields improved in most major passing categories, completing 227-of-370 (61.4 pct.) passes for 2,562
six passes defensed, the top totals in club record books for a Saints rookie defensive tackle.
Grantham played guard and tackle for Virginia Tech from 1984-88, where he also started his coaching career (1990-95). He earned secondteam All-South and honorable mention All-America honors as a senior, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in sports management in 1989.
tant at Syracuse, one as a defensive quality control coach and one as a graduate assistant. The Orefield, Pa., native’s coaching career began in quality control at Missouri State in 2015.
Gristick played linebacker at Eastern Illinois from 2010-14, where as a three-year starter his last three seasons, he made 194 career tackles with 20 stops for loss and three interceptions, helping EIU capture back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference championships and FCS playoff appearances from 2012-13. He earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science in 2015.
for the fifth straight campaign. Werner ranked second on the team with 93 tackles and tied for the team lead with two fumble recoveries.
Hodges played linebacker at Texas A&M, where he earned secondteam All-Big 12 honors as a senior when he led the Aggies in tackles and honorable mention as a junior after beginning as a walk-on. He was a two-time Academic All-Big 12 selection and was named a first-team Academic All-American in 2010. He graduated in 2010 and earned his master’s in 2011. He was presented with the 2010 Heart Award, the highest honor for a Texas A&M senior football player.
yards with 16 touchdowns and an 86.3 passer rating, while carrying 124 times for 657 yards with four touchdowns. The Bears improved their victory total from three in 2022 to seven in 2023, as Fields won four of his final six starts.
A three-year letterman at Pittsburgh, the Clearfield, Pa., native served as a backup quarterback and holder on special teams. Janocko spent his first two seasons as a walk-on before earning a scholarship his final two seasons. A three-time member of the Big East Conference All-Academic Team, he graduated with a degree in history and a minor in political science.
PLAYING CAREER: Pittsburgh, 2007-10.
COACHING CAREER: Rutgers, 2011; Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2012-13; Mercyhurst University, 2014; Minnesota Vikings, 2015-21; Chicago Bears, 2022-23; New Orleans Saints, 2024-.
ANDREW JANOCKO - QUARTERBACKS COACH
MICHAEL HODGES - LINEBACKERS COACH
Adam Gristick enters his second season in the NFL as a defensive assistant with the New Orleans Saints.
ADAM GRISTICK - DEFENSIVE ASSISTANT
TODD GRANTHAM - DEFENSIVE LINE COACH
KLINT KUBIAK - OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Kubiak enters his first season with the Saints as offensive coordinator, his 11th NFL season and 15th campaign overall in coaching. He arrives after serving as the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive passing game specialist in 2023.
In 2023, Kubiak played a pivotal role in the planning and tutelage within the passing game of the NFC Champion 49ers. The 49ers finished the regular season ranked second in the NFL in total offense (398.4 ypg.), including fourth in net passing yards per game (257.9). San Francisco finished first in the league in red zone touchdown percentage (67.2), fourth in in third down conversion percentage (47.5) and were tied for the sixth-fewest turnovers in the NFL. Pro Bowl QB Brock Purdy completed 308-of-444 (69.4 pct.) passes for 4,280 yards with 21 touchdowns against only 11
Mike Martinez enters his second campaign on the New Orleans Saints coaching staff as assistant to the head coach after serving as a football operations/scouting assistant from 2020-22. In his role, he is responsible for assisting Interim Head Coach Darren Rizzi in the club’s football operations. Martinez is responsible for coordinating the Saints’ daily meeting and practice schedules, the team’s year-round football calendar and orchestration of team and
DENARIUS M c GHEE - ASSISTANT WIDE RECEIVERS
Ten-year coaching veteran Denarius McGhee enters his first season as assistant wide receivers coach for the New Orleans Saints in 2024. McGhee comes to the Saints after a four-year stint as an offensive assistant with the Houston Texans.
McGhee was part of a Texans coaching staff in 2023 that helped Houston improve from a 3-13-1 record in 2022 to winning the AFC South division title and capturing an AFC Wild Card Playoff victory over Cleveland. As a team, Houston finished the regular season with the fewest giveaways in the NFL (14) and its passing attack ranked second in the NFL in pass plays over 25 yards (41). Houston’s offensive attack blossomed with the development of several key offensive contributors. Rookie QB C.J. Stroud captured AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, completing 319-of-499 passes for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns and a 100.8 passer rating. Two young wideouts also developed in Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Collins had the best season of his career, with 80 catches for 1,297 yards and eight
Kevin Petry enters his eighth season as a member of the Saints coaching staff and sixth as an offensive assistant. He’s worked with both quarterbacks and wide receivers during his tenure on the coaching staff and will work with the tight ends in 2024.
Petry was responsible for coordinating the Saints’ meeting and practice schedules, daily football calendar and the orchestration of team and staff events, as well as providing administrative assistance to the coaching and football operations staff from 2017-22.
interceptions and a league-best 113.0 passer rating, an NFL-best 123.8 in the fourth quarter. Including Purdy, five offensive 49ers were selected to the Pro Bowl and four were Associated Press AllPros (TE George Kittle, FB Kyle Juszczyk, RB Christian McCaffrey and LT Trent Williams).
Kubiak was a four-year letterman at Colorado State. He played safety for the Rams and was a team captain as a senior, earning an invite to play in the East-West Shrine Game.
PLAYING CAREER: Colorado State, 2005-09.
COACHING CAREER: Texas A&M, 2010-12; Minnesota Vikings, 201314; Kansas, 2015; Denver Broncos, 2016-18; Minnesota Vikings, 2019-21; Denver Broncos, 2022; San Francisco 49ers, 2023; New Orleans Saints, 2024-.
staff events, as well as providing administrative assistance to the coaching and operations staff.
The Boise, Idaho, native played basketball at Dordt (Sioux Center, Iowa) University and graduated with degrees in communication and sports management.
COACHING CAREER: New Orleans Saints, 2023-.
touchdowns with a franchise-record 25 20-plus yard receptions. As a rookie, Dell finished with 47 receptions for 709 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games.
A four-year starter at Montana State, McGhee stands as the school’s all-time winningest quarterback, holds program records in career passing yards (11,203) and touchdowns (79) and remains the only player in program history to win Big Sky MVP twice. He led the Bobcats to three conference championships and garnered AllAmerican recognition as both a freshman and a junior. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing. McGhee is a member of the Montana State Athletics Hall of Fame.
PLAYING CAREER: Montana State, 2010-13; Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL), 2014.
COACHING CAREER: Florida Atlantic, 2014; North Carolina State, 201516; Montana State, 2017-19; Houston Texans, 2020-23; New Orleans Saints, 2024-.
This will be Petry’s 12th year as a member of the Saints organization. During the 2015 and 2016 seasons, he served as a video assistant. From 2012-14, Petry was a member of the team’s equipment staff. The Covington native prepped at St. Paul’s High School in Covington, La., and graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in sports administration in 2013. Petry and his wife Kelsey, have one son, Louis Michael.
COACHING CAREER: New Orleans Saints, 2017-.
KEVIN PETRY - OFFENSIVE ASSISTANT
MIKE MARTINEZ - ASSISTANT TO THE HEAD COACH
MARCUS ROBERTSON - SECONDARY COACH
Marcus Robertson, a 17-year NFL coaching veteran, enters his second season as the Saints’ secondary coach. Robertson has spent the last 33 seasons in the NFL as a player, coach and administrator, tutoring defensive backs with the Tennessee Titans (2007-11), Detroit Lions (2012-13), Oakland Raiders (2014-16), Denver Broncos (201718) and Arizona Cardinals (2019-22).
In 2023, Robertson coached a secondary that finished first in the NFL in pass breakups (99), tied for third in the league for interceptions (18) and ranked tenth in opponent passing yards per game (207.3). Robertson coached CB Paulson Adebo, who recorded the third-most pass breakups (18) and led the team with six takeaways. He also coached S Tyrann
Jordan Traylor enters his sixth season with the New Orleans Saints, his fourth on the coaching staff. Traylor previously served his first two years with the organization in the personnel department. In 2021, he transitioned to the defensive coaching staff, working with linebackers for two seasons. Traylor worked with the tight ends in 2023 and will help Andrew Janocko tutor the quarterbacks in 2024.
Prior to joining the Saints, he began his coaching career as an offensive graduate assistant working with quarterbacks and receivers at The University of Texas from 2016-2017, before coaching quar-
Mathieu to four interceptions, tying for the team lead with Adebo. Prior to beginning his coaching career, Robertson played four seasons at Iowa State and 12 years in the NFL for the Houston Oilers/ Tennessee Titans (1991-00) and the Seattle Seahawks (2001-02) after being drafted by Houston as a fourth-round selection (102nd overall) in the 1991 NFL Draft.
terbacks at the University of Arkansas as an offensive analyst in 2018.
The Gilmer, Texas, native, who played quarterback and wide receiver in high school, started his collegiate playing career at Mississippi College from 2012-13 before transferring to play quarterback at Texas A&M from 2014-15. Traylor is the son of UTSA Head Coach Jeff Traylor.
PLAYING CAREER: Mississippi College, 2012-13; Texas A&M, 2014-15.
COACHING CAREER: Texas, 2016-17; Arkansas, 2018; New Orleans Saints, 2021-.
Keith Williams enters his first season with the New Orleans Saints, where he will tutor the team’s wideouts after spending the previous three seasons on the Baltimore Ravens offensive coaching staff. Prior to joining the Ravens in 2021, the Stockton, Calif., native came to the National Football League having 18 years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, while also working as a personal wide receivers coach for a number of top NFL wideouts, including All-Pros Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill.
In his three years with the Ravens, Williams served as assistant wide receivers coach in 2023 and as the team’s pass game specialist from 2021-22, working with the wideouts.
In 2023, Williams worked with Ravens Wide Receivers Coach Greg Lewis to tutor a unit that contributed to Baltimore ranking fourth in the NFL in scoring (28.4 ppg.) and sixth in total offense (370.4 ypg.).
Zay Flowers, the club’s first round pick, set rookie franchise marks in
Woods enters his second season as the Saints’ defensive coordinator. A 32-year coaching veteran, including the last 20 in the NFL, he enters his seventh NFL season as a coordinator.
With Woods’ influence in his first season with the club, the Saints made great strides getting their hands on the football and taking it away. New Orleans forced 29 turnovers in 2023, ranked fourth in the NFL, with Paulson Adebo leading the team (six). New Orleans was 5-1 when they forced at least two turnovers in a game. The Black and Gold also had 18 interceptions, tied for third in the league. The team led the NFL with 99 pass breakups, with the Saints the only team to have three players ranked in the top ten individually, including Adebo with 18, third in the league. The Saints
catches (77) and receiving yards (858), adding six total touchdowns (five receiving and one rushing).
Williams played wideout for San Diego State from 1991-93, including the 1991 Freedom Bowl team, while also competing on the Aztecs’ track & field team, finishing with a bronze medal (10.31) in the 100m at the Western Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships. He earned his bachelor’s degree in public administration in 1996.
PLAYING CAREER: San Diego State, 1991-93; Frankfurt Galaxy (WLAF) 1995; Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL), 1995-96.
COACHING CAREER: Brookside Christian High School, 1997-99; Solano Community College, 2000; San Jose State, 2001-04; San Jose City College, 2005-08; Fresno State, 2009-11; Tulane, 2012-14; Nebraska, 2015-17; San Antonio Commanders (AAF), 2019; Baltimore Ravens, 2021-23; New Orleans Saints, 2024-.
ranked eighth in opponent points per game, tenth in opponent net passing yards per game and fourth in the league in third down defense after tying for 24th a year earlier.
Before the start of his coaching career, Woods lettered four years as a cornerback and safety at Illinois State.
PLAYING CAREER: Illinois State, 1988-91.
COACHING CAREER: Muskigum College, 1992; Eastern Michigan, 1993; Northwestern State, 1994; Grand Valley State, 1994-96; Kent State, 1997; Hofstra, 1998-2000; Western Michigan, 2001-03; Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-05; Minnesota Vikings, 2006-13; Oakland Raiders, 2014; Denver Broncos, 2015-18; San Francisco 49ers, 2019; Cleveland Browns, 2020-22; New Orleans Saints, 2023-.
KEITH WILLIAMS - WIDE RECEIVERS COACH
JORDAN TRAYLOR - OFFENSIVE ASSISTANT
JOE WOODS - DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Brian Young enters his ninth season as pass rush specialist. In his 15th season as a valued member of the Saints coaching staff, Young has worked with all of the front seven position groups after first breaking into the ranks as a coaching assistant in 2009 following the conclusion of a nine-year NFL playing career.
Since 2017, New Orleans’ 315 sacks rank fourth in the NFL, 11 different linemen have produced multi-sack games and the defense went an NFL-record 55 regular season and postseason games without allowing a 100-yard rusher from 2017-20. In 2023, Carl Granderson blossomed under Young’s tutelage, with a career-high and team-best 8.5 sacks. Bryan Bresee, the club’s first round pick, finished with 4.5 sacks and six pass breakups, the top totals in club record books for a Saints rookie tackle.
Young joined the coaching staff after concluding a nineyear playing career, where he appeared in 124 games and had 22.5 sacks and eight fumble recoveries for the Rams (2000-03) and Saints (2004-08). During his Saints tenure, he served as a valuable member of the interior line rotation, starting 58-of-64 contests.
Young played at Texas-El Paso from 1996-99. He was the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1999, when he had a career-high 121 tackles and eight sacks. The El Paso native graduated with a degree in criminal justice.
PLAYING CAREER: Texas El-Paso, 1996-99; St. Louis Rams, 2000-03; New Orleans Saints, 2004-08.
COACHING CAREER: New Orleans Saints, 2009-.
BRIAN YOUNG - PASS RUSH SPECIALIST
Khai Harley Senior Vice President of Football Operations / Assistant GM
Scott Kuhn Director of Football Administration
Jeff Ireland Senior Vice President / Assistant GM - College Personnel
Michael Parenton Vice President of Pro Personnel
Mike Baugh National Scout
Terry Wooden National Scout
Casey Talley Area Scout
Joey Vitt Jr. Area Scout
Mike DiJulio Area Scout
Jon Sandusky Area Scout
Paul Zimmer Area Scout
Will Martinez Combine Scout
Zach Stuart Director of Analytics
C.J. Leak Area Scout
Ziad Qubti College Scouting Coordinator
Matt Phillips Area Scout
Harry Piper Personnel Assistant
Debbie Gallagher Executive Asst. to the EVP/GM
Ryan Powell National Scout
Justin Matthews Pro Scout
Josh Hill Pro Scout
Rishi Desai Scouting Assistant
Tosan Eyetsemitan Pro Scout
Dave Ziegler Senior Personnel Advisor
Brandon Tamres Scouting Assistant
EXECUTIVE
Gayle
OWNERSHIP
John Benton
Rick Dennison
Jahri Evans
Phil Galiano Assistant Special Teams
Giordano
Giunta
Todd Grantham
Gristick
Line
Michael Hodges Linebackers
Andrew Janocko Quarterbacks
Klint Kubiak Offensive Coordinator
Mike Martinez Assistant to the Head Coach
DeNarius McGhee Assistant Wide Receivers
Kevin Petry Offensive Assistant
Marcus Robertson Secondary
Jordan Traylor Offensive Assistant
Keith Williams Wide Receivers
Joe Woods Defensive Coordinator
Brian Young Pass Rush Specialist
EQUIPMENT
John Baumgartner Head Equipment Manager
Corey Gaudet Assistant Equipment Manager
Richard Killian II Assistant Equipment Manager
Ben Steib Assistant Equipment Manager
COMMUNICATIONS
Doug Miller Vice President of Football Communications
Justin Macione Director of Football Communications/Publications Director
Sam Shannon Corporate Communications Manager
Davis Friend Football Communications Coordinator
Grant Segar Communications, Government Relations & Special Projects Coordinator
Cass Lapeyre Football Communications Associate
PLAYER ENGAGEMENT
Fred McAfee Vice President of Player Engagement
Danny Lawless Director of Security
Evan Meyers Assistant Player Engagement/Legends & Alumni Manager
Dan Simmons Alumni/Legends Development Coordinator
ATHLETIC TRAINING
Ben Stollberg Director of Sports Medicine
Shone Gipson Head Athletic Trainer
Jonathan Gress Director of Rehabilitation
Kevin Mangum Assistant Athletic Trainer
Bobby Feeback Assistant Athletic Trainer
Natalie Phipps Assistant Athletic Trainer
Jamie Meeks Director of Sports Nutrition
MEDICAL STAFF
Dr. John Amoss Chief of Internal Medicine
Dr. Karim Meijer Team Orthopedist
Dr. W. Stephen Choate Team Orthopedist
Dr. David Leslie Team Physician
SPORTS SCIENCE/STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
Matt Rhea Director of Sports Science
Matt Clapp Strength & Conditioning
Charles Byrd Strength & Conditioning
Rob Wenning Strength & Conditioning
VIDEO
Dave Desposito
Tim Youngblood
Chris McNeice
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION
Video Assistant
Video Assistant
Dennis Lauscha President
Greg Bensel Senior Vice President of Communications, Broadcast, Community and Governmental Relations
Ben Hales Senior Vice President of Marketing/Chief Operating Officer
Johnny Pizzo Sales Director, Corporate Partnerships and Media
Victoria Weber Senior Manager,
Video Director
Joe Alley Assistant Video Director
CAESARS SUPERDOME A NATIONAL LANDMARK
Created by Law - November 8, 1966
Construction Began - August 11, 1971
Opened - August 3, 1975
Home of Major Sports Events
• New Orleans Saints (NFL Football)
• Allstate Sugar Bowl Classic (NCAA Division I Football)
• State Farm Bayou Classic (Southern U. vs. Grambling State Football)
• R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (NCAA Division I Football)
• LHSAA/State Farm Prep Classic (State High School Football Championships)
• Super Bowls XII (1978), XV (1981), XX (1986), XXIV (1990), XXXI (1997), XXXVI (2002), XLVII (2013), LIX (to be played on February 9, 2025)
• NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four 1982, 1987, 1993, 2003, 2012
Legendary Moments
• Saints played first professional football game inside the Superdome when they hosted the Houston Oilers on August 9, 1975
• Alabama beat Penn State 13-6 in first Sugar Bowl game in the Superdome in 1976
• “Pistol Pete” Maravich & New Orleans Jazz set NBA crowd mark of 35,077 in 1977
• Muhammad Ali defeated Leon Spinks before 65,000 in 1978
• LSU-Notre Dame basketball game in 1980 set the NCAA record attendance of 68,112
• Sugar Ray Leonard defeated Roberto Duran in “No Mas” fight in 1980
• Pope John Paul II addressed 80,000 school children in 1987
• George Bush nominated for election at 1988 Republican National Convention
• Grambling’s Eddie Robinson coached his final game in 1997 Bayou Classic
• Tulane rolled out a perfect 12-0 season in 1998
• #2 LSU defeated #1 Oklahoma 21-14 to win college football national title in 2004
• Saints defeated Falcons 23-3 in first game after Hurricane Katrina on Sept. 25, 2006
• Saints beat the Eagles 27-24 to advance to NFC championship game for the first time in team history on Jan. 13, 2007
• LSU beat Ohio State 38-24 to win BCS Championship before record crowd of 79,651
• Saints defeated the Vikings 31-28 in overtime in first NFC Championship game they hosted to advance to Super Bowl XLIV, before 71,276 on Jan. 24, 2010.
• In 2021, the club reached a 20-year naming rights agreement with Caesars Entertainment to rename the stadium the Caesars Superdome.
• In time for the 2024 Saints season, the stadium completed a multi-season transformation that started in 2020, which now makes the Caesars Superdome one of the most state-of-the art facilities in the world.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS VS ATLANTA FALCONS
FALCONS QUARTERBACK
KIRK COUSINS #18
Signed by the Falcons in the 2024 offseason, Cousins has helped put the Falcons in first place in the NFC South, completing 185-of-271 passes (68.3 pct.) for 2106 yards with 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions as a missing piece to their offense. This 13-year veteran has played in 159 career games with 154 starts, completing 3,650-of-5,472 passes for 41,799 yards with 287 touchdowns and 117 interceptions. Cousins has helped lead Atlanta to wins in five of their last six games, helping deliver head coach Raheem Morris’ vision of a balanced attack, including division wins against New Orleans, Carolina and Tampa Bay. Cousins will look to take advantage of the Caesars Superdome’s indoor controlled surface today as they try to prevent the Saints from gaining ground in the division battle.
SAINTS DEFENSIVE END CHASE YOUNG #99
The second overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Ohio State by the Washington Commanders, Young made an immediate impact as a rookie when he recorded 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries to earn consensus NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Suffering a serious knee injury in 2021, which sidelined him a full season, Young returned to the field with a havoc in 2023, recording 7.5 takedowns and reaching the Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers after a midseason trade. Signed by New Orleans in the offseason, Young has played in every contest and has 18 tackles, two sacks, one pass defense, 11 quarterback knockdowns and 16 quarterback hurries in addition to a takedown of Panthers DB Bryce Young on a two-point conversion attempt Sunday at Carolina. New Orleans Defensive Coordinator Joe Woods will utilize the team’s pressure packages against the Falcons and QB Kirk Cousins by taking advantage of Young’s pass rush abilities.
SAINTS HOST FALCONS IN PIVOTAL DIVISIONAL SHOWDOWN
The New Orleans Saints (2-7) return home this week to take on the Atlanta Falcons (6-3) today at the Caesars Superdome, the start of a stretch of three consecutive home games. The two clubs have bet 110 times in the regular season since the Saints entered the NFL in 1967, with the series knotted at 55-55 apiece. Three of the last five meetings between the two clubs have been by three points or fewer - two of them Saints wins in 2022, the Falcons victory being by a 26-24 edge in this season’s first meeting on September 29 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The contest will mark the head coaching debut of Interim Head Coach Darren Rizzi.
The Falcons have won five of their last six games after a 1-2 start and are coming off a 27-21 victory over the Dallas Cowboys that cemented a comfortable lead in the NFC South.
The Saints are coming off a 23-22 loss at Carolina. Running back Alvin Kamara put forth a valiant effort in the loss as the game’s most dominant player on either side. The eighth-year veteran carried 29 times for 155 yards, to tie a career-high for yards on the ground. With WR Chris Olave sidelined after suffering a concussion in the first quarter, Kamara was also the team’s biggest threat in the passing game with a club-best six receptions for a team-high 60 yards. With 551 career catches, he
has the most receptions in the National Football League by a running back through his first eight seasons. Kamara’s 215 total yards from scrimmage is the fifth-highest single-game total in franchise history and the highest in the NFL this season.
Kamara currently ranks first in the NFL with 51 first downs, third in total yards from scrimmage (1,027), seventh in rushing yards (660) and leads running backs in receiving with 46 grabs for 267 yards.
Leading the his team in both rushing and receiving, Kamara has 6,489 rushing yards and with 12 yards on Sunday will become the franchise’s all-time leader.
TE Taysom Hill also contributed in multiple facets, carrying five times for 19 yards, including a one-yard touchdown and catching four passes for 41 yards.
Defensively, New Orleans held the Panthers to only 246 net yards, allowing them to gain only 3.5 yards per carry. Receiving his first career start, CB Shemar Jean-Charles nabbed his first career interception in the fourth quarter, pulling the ball away from Panthers WR Xavier Legette.
Today In The NFC South: The Carolina Panthers (2-7), host the New York Giants (2-7) at 8:30 a.m. CT. in Munich, Germany and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5) will host the San Francisco 49ers (4-4) at noon CT.
WEAKSIDE WARRIOR
Selected by New Orleans in the second round (60th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft, Pete Werner has become a mainstay for the Saints defense. Now in his fourth season with the Black and Gold, Werner has appeared in 49 games with 41 starts, totaling 269 tackles (176 solo), a half sack, four passes defensed, one interception and two forced fumbles.
The former Ohio State standout was effective from the jump for the New Orleans defensive unit. As a rookie in 2021, Werner appeared in 15 contests with eight starts and added 59 stops (37 solo) and three tackles on special teams. His first start came in week three, and Werner would go on to have three double digit tackle performances as a rookie.
In 2022, Werner finished third on the team in stops (79) despite missing five contests. He was off to a blazing start, totaling 71 tackles in his first eight games before dealing with ankle and hamstring injuries that caused him to miss five of the last eight games. Going into 2023, Werner was determined to be on the field for a full season and show he could be a key piece of the future for the Black and Gold defense.
He did just that last year, as he recorded a career-best
season on the stat sheet for the Black and Gold defense. Werner delivered career-highs in games played (16), games started (16), tackles (93) and solo stops (60) to go along with a half sack and the first interception of his young career as part of a defense that ranked among the league’s best once again.
After last season’s 9-8 finish narrowly missed the playoffs, Werner knew there was still more potential in his game and came into training camp hungry to improve. The Saints brought in fellow LB Willie Gay Jr. from Kansas City to pair with Werner and Demario Davis, bringing more competition to an already deep position group room. Werner responded as a standout throughout camp in Irvine, California, and prior to the start of the regular season, was rewarded with a three-year contract
extension to solidify his place in New Orleans defense for years to come.
“I will say he’s very important to this team. He’s very important to the linebacker room, and he’s heightened our defense every single year,” Linebackers Coach Michael Hodges said. “I foresee a great year ahead of him, but that’s basically because of how he’s continued to prepare for the 3½ years I’ve known him. He hasn’t flinched. We just have to put a few things together. Some of the holes we saw in his game last year, he’s already started to close them, which you’d expect from a guy like him.”
His fellow All Pro teammate Demario Davis knows what it takes at the position and speaks highly not only of Werner’s play, but also his demeanor for the club. Werner was given the chance to be the leader of the defense and wear the mic helmet for the first time in 2023 when Davis’s game status was in jeopardy for the first time as a Saint with an injury.
“He doesn’t change high times, low times, he’s steady. And those are the best type,” Davis said. “I mean, emotion is good in the game. I’m a highemotion player. But you need to have somebody who can balance the highs and the lows. Those are the ones who have the long tenures. And I believe you’ll see that out of him.
“He’s as great a tackler as you’re going to find. He’s instinctual for a young player in this league. Since he’s come in, the way he’s able to diagnose plays and process information, I don’t know if
I’ve been around many like that at that age.”
The Saints missed his playmaking ability during the midst of a six-game losing streak as Werner was recovering from a hamstring injury that caused him to miss games against the Chiefs, Buccaneers, and Broncos.
He returned to action against the Chargers, racking up a season-high nine tackles (seven solo). Thus far through six appearances in 2024, Werner has 38 stops (23 solo) for the Black and Gold defense and they will rely on him to get back to winning ways.
Regarding the losing streak, Werner said, “We’re sick of
this feeling. We are. The best way to eliminate the sickness is to go out and play, have fun doing it, and winning. So we have to get this nasty taste out of our mouth and we just need to start winning. And I think it’s a great start to get back in here and at it.”
New Orleans will need their fourth-year linebacker to play a big role in today’s NFC South matchup against the rival Atlanta Falcons, as they are tasked with slowing down one of the league’s best running back duos in Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. Look for Werner to get into the backfield and set the tone early for the Saints defense as they look to gain ground in the division hunt.
TE JIMMY GRAHAM
Jimmy Graham was one of the most prolific tight ends in NFL history for some historic Saints offenses after being drafted in the third round (95th overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft out of the University of Miami. Graham’s 6’7 basketball frame made him a lethal redzone weapon with former Saints quarterback Drew Brees.
In six seasons in Black and Gold, Graham appeared in 91 games with 52 starts, posting 392 receptions for 4,791 yards and 55 touchdowns while adding 210 yards and three more scores in the postseason. After a promising opening campaign in which he led all rookie tight ends in major receiving categories, the former college basketball forward who transitioned to football for a graduate season, burst onto the scene in year two, racking up a franchise record at the time 99 receptions for 1,310 yards (13.2 avg) and 11 touchdowns on his way to his first Pro Bowl and Associated Press All-Pro selections. His career-best season came in 2013, when in 16 games he hauled in 86 grabs for 1,215 yards (14.1 avg) and a career-high/ league-leading 16 receiving touchdowns on his way to another Pro Bowl nod and first team All-Pro selection.
After five seasons with New Orleans, Graham spent time with Seattle and Green Bay before returning to the Saints for the 2023 season. Over his 13-year career, Graham totaled 719 receptions for 8,545 yards (11.9 avg) and 89 touchdowns. The best tight end in franchise history and among the best to ever play the position, Graham ranks fourth in NFL record books in receiving touchdowns among tight ends while his receptions and receiving yards totals rank eighth.
In his time away from football, the former fivetime Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro has his sights set on the Arctic Challenge. In 2025, Graham will take part in a four-person team embarking on a rowing expedition spanning 621 miles across the Arctic Ocean. They will row nonstop from Norway to Svalbard in an attempt to break the record of 15 days, 5 hours and 32 minutes while also raising money for two charities in the New Orleans area, Covenant House, helping homeless youth, and Laureus Sport for Good USA, which provides grants to create sports opportunities for disadvantaged youth.
College: Miami
Position: Tight End
Born: November 24, 1986 in Goldsboro, North Carolina
With 12 rushing yards today against Atlanta, RB Alvin Kamara would surpass RB Mark Ingram (6,500) as the franchise’s all-time rushing yardage leader. 12
106
The 106 tackles that Demario Davis has recorded against today’s opponent, the Atlanta Falcons, are the most he has made against any of the 32 teams he has played.
2
2
Saints DB Ugo Amadi is only the second player to wear number 0 for the Saints. The only other player to do so in a regular season game for the team is safety Obert Logan in the team’s inaugural season in 1967.
College: University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Major: Biology
Years With Team: 3
DESTINAE’ S AINTS CHEER KREWE
My Saints Cheer Krewe Journey: My dance journey started when I was ten years old. I began at Dancing Angels Dance Academy where we participated in performances and parades around the city. I transitioned my studies to Passion Dance Center. While there, I studied various genres specializing in commercial hip hop. Because of the studio, I was able to perform in Jazz Fest, Fan Fest and Essence Fest. I stayed there until 2019 when I graduated. While in college, I joined Infinity Dance Group. After graduating from college, I wanted to keep following my dance dream, so I auditioned for my childhood dream team. I am excited to say I am a member of Saints Cheer Krewe.
What has been the best thing about being a member of the Saints Cheer Krewe? The best thing about being a part of Saints Cheer Krewe has been the continuous opportunities for growth internally and externally. From day one to this current day, I see a major difference in the way I both present myself in a space and how I carry myself physically. Because of Saints Cheer Krewe, I have learned to speak up and advocate for myself when necessary. I have taken up multiple physical and mental activities such as going to the gym, morning runs, self-care days and healthy eating and living. Saints Cheer Krewe pushes me to be a better version of myself.
What keeps you motivated? My motivation is my students. As a dance instructor, my kids look up to me as a model that regardless of where you come from, you can be what you have always dreamed of. When things are challenging, I think back to the little faces I see looking to me for guidance.
Who is a significant role model in your life? As cliché as it may sound, my role model is my mom. When I was younger, I watched my mom wake up for work that usually lasted for ten hours. With long work hours, she would still find a way to show up to every single one of our dance performances, football games, and softball games while finding extra time to help with homework assignments. She never showed how tired she was. Because of that, I learned to strive for the best I can be and to show up in every space working my hardest. My mom taught me to use every moment to the fullest.
What is the best advice you have ever been given? My mom always repeats the words, “You never know who’s watching”. To me, this meant more than just for opportunities, but also for people who may look to you, and you didn’t know. I use those words to help my decision making daily.
What do you like to do in your spare time? In my off time, I enjoy making miniature structures such as mini houses, businesses, etc. I typically order a multi piece and spend a few minutes a day putting it together.
What is the trait that you admire most in other people and why? One trait I admire most is humility. Being humble allows for consistent growth. You are more open to constructive criticism and understand that there is always something to work on and improve.
If you had the opportunity to travel anywhere, where would it be and why? One place I have always wanted to visit is Johannesburg in South Africa. I have learned so much about the city just from my interest alone and would love to learn more about it in person.
Where do you want to be ten years from now? I hope to be well established in my dance career, choreographing and participating in tours around the world with major artists.
If you could have dinner for one night with any historical person, who would it be and why? I would love to have dinner with Alvin Ailey. He is one of the most influential people in the dance world, and I would love to present my many, many questions on his beginnings.
What is your biggest piece of advice to the younger generation? Never be afraid to create your own path. Each of us are uniquely ourselves which means all of our paths will also be unique.
College: Texas Tech University
Degreer: Masters in Business Administration
Years With Team: 1st Season
SAINTS CHEER KREWE
My Saints Cheer Krewe Journey: While in college, I was a four-year member of the Texas Tech Coed Cheer Team and competed on a level 6 All-Star cheerleading team at Ultimate Cheer Lubbock and Cheer Athletics. Before cheerleading at the collegiate level, I was a member of the Jesuit High School cheerleading team as well as a member of the Tiger Elite All-Stars competitive cheerleading program for 13 years. I became involved with the Saints Cheer Krewe after becoming close friends with members of the team through coaching at LTCA as well as going to Saints Cheer Krewe events with my sister who was already a member of the team.
What has been the best thing about being a member of the Saints Cheer
The best thing about being a member of the Saints Cheer Krewe is doing what I love most in front of my hometown and with people I love. I have created lifelong friendships with my built-in best friends, also known as my teammates, who have the same love and aspirations for cheerleading as I do.
What keeps you motivated? I am motivated by my continuous and growing love for cheerleading. I have had a passion for cheerleading since I was six years old. I will always push myself in my cheerleading endeavors to make my six-year-old self proud.
Who is a significant role model in your life? My sister is someone who is there for others no matter what, brings a smile to others’ faces, and can accomplish anything she puts her mind to. From a very young age, I have always strived to be even half of the person she is.
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
The best advice I was ever given was to have no regrets. This has impacted me so strongly because I learned that failure is okay sometimes, and failure means there was a lesson learned. Not having regrets has given me the strength to strive for the farthest goals and never settle.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I work out in my spare time. Working out has helped me to be present with myself. I have also taken on boxing, which has been a great tactic to
What is the trait that you admire most in other people and why? A trait I admire most in others is their ability to bring joy to others. My goal every day in life is to put a smile on everyone’s
If you had the opportunity to travel anywhere, where would it be and why? I would like to travel to both Spain and Greece. I want to continue traveling through different countries in Europe.
If you could have dinner for one night with any historical person, who would it be and why? I would like to have dinner with Oprah Winfrey because I believe she has been very impactful in society, and I would like to know what gave her the courage to be such a powerful voice for women.
What is your biggest piece of advice to the younger generation? I would tell the younger generation not to be fearful. There are so many opportunities and challenges in life that if you allow it, fear can become your biggest enemy. Live your life by being loving, courageous, confident, and diligent.
Hill, Taysom
Dallin
Calif.
7/30/93 8
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Brentwood, Tenn.
S tate S t. Louis, Mo. 70 Penning, Trevor T 6-7/325 5/15/99 3 Nor thern Iowa
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Ruiz, Cesar C/G 6-4/316 6/14/99
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Bloomington, Ill.
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FALCONS STATISTICS
RAHEEM MORRIS - HEAD COACH
Raheem Morris was named the 19th head coach in Falcons history on January 25, 2024. He took over the club after spending the previous three seasons as defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams.
During his Rams tenure, Los Angeles made two postseason appearances and captured a Super Bowl LVI title. From 2021-23, the Rams defense recorded the fourth-best red-zone efficiency rating and the seventh-fewest rushing yards per game in the NFL. His 2023 unit was one of the youngest in the NFL, but helped the Rams earn a playoff berth and featured third-round rookie DL Kobie Turner, a finalist for the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Turner and Byron Young tallied a combined 17 sacks, first and second among rookies. Turner’s nine sacks matched three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald’s franchise rookie record (2014), while Young’s
ATLANTA FALCONS KEY PLAYERS
eight sacks ranked third among rookies in franchise history.
During the 2021 season that culminated in a Super Bowl title, Los Angeles’ defense averaged 1.5 takeaways per game and featured three players - Donald, Leonard Floyd and Vonn Miller ranked in the top 20 in sacks. Morris’ unit ranked third in sacks (50) and fifth in tackles for loss (85).
Morris also served as the Falcons’ defensive coordinator and interim head coach in 2020 after four years (2016-19) as assistant head coach/ wide receivers coach/offensive pass game coordinator and 2015 as the team’s assistant head coach/defensive backs coach/defensive pass game coordinator. He served as defensive backs coach for Washington (2012-14) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2007-08) and in between served three years (2009-11) as Tampa Bay’s head coach. He started his NFL coaching career in Tampa Bay from 2002-05.
CHRIS LINDSTROM
OWNERSHIP
10/7
10/13
10/17
10/27
11/3
4th
4th
THE FIRST OF MANY
In the first of many honors to celebrate a storied 20-year playing career, 15 of which took place with the New Orleans Saints, quarterback Drew Brees was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame at a luncheon on Thursday, October 17. Brees was then recognized by the franchise and their fans in a halftime ceremony of the Thursday Night Football contest against the Denver Broncos at the Caesars Superdome. During his tenure with the Saints from 2006-20, after signing with the club as an unrestricted free agent from the San Diego Chargers, in 228 regular season starts, Brees led the NFL over the period and shattered the club’s record book with 68,010 passing yards, 491 touchdown passes, 8742 attempts, 6017 completions, a 68.8 completion percentage, 116 games with at least 300 yards passing, 16 with at least 400 and 518 completions of 25 yards or more, during which time his record as a starter was 151-94 (61.6 pct.) in the regular season and postseason combined, easily making him the winningest signal-caller in franchise history.
