Week 5 of the 2018 NFL season produced some waterworks for New Orleans Saints fans. Heading into the game against the Washington Redskins, Saints quarterback Drew Brees needed 201 passing yards to pass Peyton Manning as the all-time leading passer in NFL history. In the second quarter, Brees hit rookie wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith for a 62-yard touchdown and history was made.

As the players, coaches, and staff celebrated on the field with the QB themselves, the television broadcast went to random fans, and there was one theme from many home fans, tears of joy. The Saints are not just a sports team to the home fans; every player is a member of the family in New Orleans and Drew Brees is very high on that list.

The history of professional sports in New Orleans

The city of New Orleans has only had two top tier professional sports franchises. In the NBA the Big Easy was home to the New Orleans Jazz from 1974 to 1980, when the team moved to Utah. In 2002 the Charlotte Hornets relocated to New Orleans and have been there ever since under the name the New Orleans Pelicans. The team has had a few good seasons but overall has been an average team within the NBA since it’s founding.

The only other professional sports team that has spent a decent amount of time in New Orleans are the Saints. Established on November 1st, 1966 the first official season for the New Orleans Saints was in 1967. For about the first 20 years the franchise was abysmal eventually being called the “Aints” due to their performance on the field. The franchise would not get their first playoff win until 2000, downing the defending Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams.

Two different circumstances changed the sports landscape in New Orleans between 2005-2006.

Hurricane Katrina

It is impossible to talk about the bond between the city and the Saints franchise without bringing up this awful disaster. In the few days before landfall, the storm had strengthened to a category five storm in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico after battering Florida. On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana and Mississippi as a category three hurricane. Due to the strength of the storm, Katrina caused over 50 breaches in surge protection levees around the city of New Orleans, causing about 80% of the town to be flooded.

It is estimated that somewhere between 986 to 1,577 (including out of state evacuees) died as a result of the storm. Where do the Saints come into all of this, the franchise gave citizens a “shelter of last resort,” The Superdome. Given the intensity of the incoming storm, the city opened up the stadium for people who were unable to evacuate the state. Approximately 9,000 residents and 550 National Guardsmen hunkered down in the Superdome as Katrina made landfall. As search and rescue, crews brought people stranded in the city to safety, Maj. Gen. Bennett C. Landreneau, Adjutant General for the Louisana National Guard said that number rose to between 15,000-20,000 people lodged in the Dome.

Katrina’s effects on the New Orleans Saints

Katrina ended up causing a total economic impact on Lousiana and Mississippi that measures up to around $150 billion. Due to the wind, rain and water damage to the Superdome, it was shut down for the 2005 season. The Saints would play four “home games” at LSU’s Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, three at the Alamodome in San Antonio, and one at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.

Having four games outside of the state angered fans in Louisiana. The Saint’s were Louisiana’s team for about four decades, and the fans stood by the team’s side through thick and thin seeing their fair share of losing seasons. Combined with rumors of the franchise’s relocation to San Antonio due to the possible destruction of the Superdome, the relationship got rocky.

Former owner Tom Benson left the second game in Baton Rouge early, and fans confronted him outside of the stadium. Afterward, he announced he and his family would no longer attend games at Tigers Stadium due to fear of abuse by fans at the games. On December 5th, former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue met with Benson and New Orleans government officials to discuss the feasibility of returning to the Superdome and keeping the Saints in New Orleans long-term.

The State of Louisiana chose to repair the Superdome in early 2006. The $336 million multi-stage renovations brought the Superdome back to life. The state only ended up paying $13 million due to other donors: the NFL contributed $15 million, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency gave $115 million. On February 5th, 2006, the NFL announced that the Superdome would reopen on September 24th giving the fans a divisional showdown featuring the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons.

A recovering franchise and city give a broken QB a chance

This segues into the second event that helped the city of New Orleans and the Saints for the long haul. While the city was recovering during the 2005 NFL season the future hall of fame quarterback was playing on the west coast. As starting QB for the San Diego Chargers, Drew Brees played well and had a respectable season. However, during the final game against the Denver Broncos, Brees tore his labrum while trying to pick up his fumble. Broncos DT Gerard Warren hit Brees while he was on the ground which caused the injury.

The Chargers offered Brees a 5-year/$50 million contract heavily based on incentives, but after refusing to increase the offer, Brees met with other teams. The Saints and Miami Dolphins showed substantial interest. The Saints, in need of a new franchise QB, offered Brees a contract that included $10 million guaranteed in his first year and a second-year $12 million option. The Dolphins had concerns regarding Brees’ shoulder injury, and team doctors suggested the front office end negotiations. They listened and ended up trading for Minnesota Vikings QB Daunte Culpeper. Brees signed a 6-year/$60 million contract with the New Orleans Saints on March 14, 2006.

The Saints come marching in

The Saints won two road games to start the season and riding that high they came back to a home opener like no other. Led by Brees and first-year head coach Sean Payton, New Orleans seemed determined to change the trajectory of the franchise.

After being displaced from their home due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina for over a year, the Saints came in with a thirst for victory in their eyes. This game was not just for them, but for the sold-out crowd of 70,003 fans, a majority of which had been through the same effects of the storm. These people lost their homes, their possessions, their way of life.

But on that night, an entire community came together. Amidst all the loss, the misfortune, and the struggle, Louisiana’s team was back and looking good. Brees and company had played well and not long after the New Orleans Saints kicked off to the Atlanta Falcons those fans were rewarded with not only a stellar game but a play that has been immortalized in New Orleans sports and NFL history forever.

The Saints would dominate the game and win by a score of 23-3. The punt block, which is now looked at as the “Rebirth” of New Orleans, marking a new era for the franchise and the team. They would go on to have a 10-6 record and beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC divisional round of the playoffs. However, the Saints would suffer defeat from the #1 seed in the NFC that year, the Chicago Bears.

Super Bowl XLIV

Brees continued his stellar QB play. However, the next two years the Saints would stumble to a 7-9 record due to horrifically bad defensive efforts. Then the 2009 season started. In the first game of the year against the Detroit Lions, Brees tied the Saints franchise record by throwing six touchdowns. Their blistering start continued, and the Saints began the season with a 13-game win streak.

New Orleans would lose the last three games but finished the season with a 13-3 record and was the #1 seed in the NFC. Any road to the Lombardi trophy had to go through the raucous home-field advantage of the Superdome. The Saints destroyed the Arizona Cardinals 45-14 in the divisional round, got the best of Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship game. They would then go to the first Super Bowl in Saints franchise history.

It was a battle of top-tier QBs. Brees and the Saints would have to face Peyton Manning and the 14-2 Indianapolis Colts if they wanted to bring the Lombardi trophy back to New Orleans. The first half was a bit of a snooze fest with a score of 10-6 Indianapolis, then one of the gutsiest calls in Super Bowl history was pulled off by Sean Payton.

Having received the ball to start the game, the Saints had to kickoff to start the second half. Instead of kicking off the ball, the Saints executed an onside kick from kickoff formation and completely flipped the momentum of the entire game. Brees would find RB Pierre Thomas and give the Saints their first lead of the game.

While the game stayed close, in the fourth quarter the Saints would pull away. Tight end Jeremy Shockey caught a two-yard touchdown pass, and wide receiver Lance Moore caught the two-point conversion to make the score 24-17. On the ensuing Colts possession, Manning moved the Colts quickly down the field and into Saints territory. That’s when cornerback Tracy Porter gave New Orleans the curtain call they had been waiting for all night.

#1: “It’s time to Party with the Lombardi, New Orleans!” Tracy Porter’s pick-6 in the Super Bowl. Then the defense closes the game out on 4th and goal to seal the 31-17 win. Had to make sure we got the great Jim Henderson’s call. pic.twitter.com/tfVezyundE — AllSaintsConsidered.com (@AllSaintsBlog) September 8, 2018



The New Orleans Saints had finally won a Lombardi trophy, on the back of an All-Pro QB, a genius head coach, and a solid defense that made plays when they needed to. The team had given fans the hardware to reward their support. A community, many of whom were still recovering from Katrina, were happy for just a moment in time because Lousiana’s team had won the big game. They were Super Bowl Champions.

Brees’ Sustained Success

Even if Brees had fallen after the Super Bowl victory, I still believe his Saints legacy would be great, but he has only made it better. Still playing at the top of his game Brees, along with some fantastic offensive weapons have not only shown a city but the entire league what an offense can truly be.

Seven quarterbacks in NFL history have thrown for 5,000 yards in a season, Brees is the only one to do it more than once, and he has passed the mark five times. Brees owns the record for the most consecutive games with a touchdown pass at 54. He has thrown for the highest career and season completion percentage, and currently sits at second for the most touchdown passes thrown in a career at 520, 19 behind Peyton Manning.

The only wrinkle that could make Brees’ career any better would be to have the support of a solid defense more years than he had, but even still, Brees was able to prop up the entire team some of those seasons the defense was putrid. Brees gave fans a show to watch just about every Sunday and the fans, in return, gave him their undying support.

I don’t think there is a sports franchise in the U.S. with as close of a relationship with its city than New Orleans. Yes, natural disasters happen in every state, and many teams have been affected by them, but Katrina was not just a natural disaster, it was one of the most devastating hurricanes in U.S. history. Between the storm and the team’s response to the community, the franchise and city formed a bond that was about more than a game. It was a team coming to the aid of its brethren in their time of need.

To make it through the storm was an incredible story for the city. They were repaid with a team who came back home to prove something, led by a quarterback who needed a fresh start. When Brees threw that 62-yard strike to Smith, it was a dream come true to fans that had been there from the beginning. The New Orleans Saints are not just a team but part of the heart of the city of New Orleans.