Category: Saints on Social Media

WATCH: Thomas Morstead gets his ‘College GameDay’ appearance

New Orleans Saints punter Thomas Morstead gets his ‘College GameDay’ appearance on ESPN, but it may have come at his own expense.

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It was a tough day at the office for Matt Campbell, a young punter for the Citadel who may have booted the worst punt in college football history; stuck in his own end zone, he botched the kick and dropped the ball directly into the hands of a South Florida opponent for the closest thing you’ll see to an own-goal in American football.

So Campbell understandably needed some support from his peers, including masters of their craft like New Orleans Saints punter Thomas Morstead. Morstead took up an invitation from Pat McAfee to join a “For the Brand Therapy” session on ESPN’s College GameDay program, talking through his most traumatic punting fail. The message to Campbell was clear: he’s not alone in making a highlight reel for the wrong reasons.

“January 11, 2014,” Morstead said deadpan, fixing the camera with a thousand-yard stare. “I had a ball go through my hands, and hit me straight in the nuts. Shortest punt of my career.”

He referenced a 2013 Divisional Round playoff game with the Seattle Seahawks, in which Morstead punted just 16 yards after the Saints offense went three-and-out on their opening drive. That play alone didn’t lose the game for New Orleans, but the painful memory still resonates with Morstead years later. He’s only had two other punts travel fewer than 25 yards (both in his 2009 rookie year, for 22 and 23 yards, but the latter was wiped out by penalty when an opposing player ran into him during the kick) in his lengthy Saints career.

But for added context: Morstead petitioned College GameDay to be named a guest picker when his SMU Mustangs visited the Memphis Tigers last year. He’s finally gotten his wish to at least appear on the program, but maybe not in the circumstances he’d prefer. Still, at least reliving his most painful personal failure may have done something to help a youngster move past his own low moment. See the full video for yourself:

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Report: ‘No connecting dots’ between Dez Bryant, Saints

The New Orleans Saints have not expressed interest in ex-Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant, and that hasn’t changed after Michael Thomas’s injury.

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Knowing that the New Orleans Saints would have superstar wide receiver Michael Thomas on the mend for a few weeks, some have wondered if the team would consider bringing Dez Bryant back to town for another shot after his 2018 debut was derailed by an Achilles injury. Bryant has remained a Saints fan and rooted for them to beat his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, in last year’s matchup.

Those fires were stoked when Bryant was spotted working out at a public park in a New Orleans Pelicans jersey (Zion Williamson’s, of course). He obviously took to the city and team culture right away, but Saints coach Sean Payton has reacted mildly when asked if a reunion with Bryant could be in the cards.

And now a report from NFL Network’s Jane Slater may have put this speculation to rest. Slater is tight with both the Cowboys and the Saints, frequently representing NFL Network at training camp, and after inquiring with her sources she reported that there isn’t any interest here.

That shouldn’t shock anyone. The Saints are in a much better position to play without Thomas now than the last time he missed a game, thanks to free agent investments like Emmanuel Sanders and Jared Cook. Their wide receivers depth chart is still fairly deep even without Thomas at the top, and Sanders has a history of impressing against their next opponent, the Las Vegas Raiders.

There are reasons to feel optimistic that Thomas being sidelined is a storm the Saints can weather, and Bryant’s presence would not change that. Hopefully he finds his way back to the NFL sooner or later, giving his impressive Cowboys career the coda it deserves. It just may not happen with the Saints.

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WATCH: Baldy’s Breakdowns highlights Saints offensive line vs. Bucs

The New Orleans Saints offensive line earned a shout-out from NFL analyst Brian Baldinger for their efforts against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Nobody cuts a better highlight reel than Brian Baldinger. The veteran NFL analyst spent a dozen years in the league before taking a turn into broadcasting with NFL Network, and now he spends his spare time poring over game tape to talk up underrated players and units after each week’s slate of games.

On Wednesday, Baldinger turned his attention to the New Orleans Saints offensive line. While they had a few miscues against a talented Tampa Bay Buccaneers front (and while missing first-round draft pick Cesar Ruiz, expected to start at right guard), Baldinger took time to explain just how special the big men up front in New Orleans can be.

“The execution by the offensive line out on the perimeter, down the field, on this touchdown run, you can’t do it any better. They did it on most of the big plays they had,” Baldinger said, pointing out key blocks by left guard Andrus Peat and center Erik McCoy.

He then pointed out a series of blocks in space by Peat, McCoy, and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk on a screen pass to wide receiver Deonte Harris. The blockers did their jobs and cleared a lane for a 17-yard gain.

“It’s like ‘Bowling for Dollars,'” Baldinger said. “I mean this group, moving this well downfield? Give ’em a game ball, for crying out loud.”

Improving their ability to throw blocks away from the line of scrimmage was a point of emphasis for the Saints this offseason. They picked Ruiz and released three-time Pro Bowl alternate Larry Warford aiming to get more athletic up front, and on paper they have one of the fastest offensive lines you’ll see in the NFL.

That agility is critical for blockers getting to their spots on time to spring Harris or Alvin Kamara free into the open field, gaining chunks of yardage, and we should see more of it once everyone is healthy and practicing together. These early highlights from Baldinger are a proof-of-concept; here’s hoping Ruiz can get on the field soon so we can see the full picture.

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Retired Saints FB Zach Line still dressing out for game days — from his couch

Zach Line rose to prominence as the New Orleans Saints fullback in recent years, but now he is enjoying retirement with his family.

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Retirement is hard 😉 #geauxsaints @saints

A post shared by Zach Line (@zline48) on

They say you don’t have to get ready if you stay ready. That’s a message retired New Orleans Saints fullback Zach Line has taken to heart, even if he’s watching games on the couch — in his old Saints jersey and helmet with a football in hand, surrounded by his young children in matching kits.

“Retirement is hard,” Line joked in a post from his official Instagram account after the Saints won their season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Line retired after 80 games and seven years in the NFL, spending his first four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. He signed with New Orleans in 2017 and went on to make a name for himself as the lead blocker for Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram, and occasionally Taysom Hill, while also developing into a sure-handed option in the passing game (catching four touchdown passes).

But he was content to walk away from the game on his own terms as a free agent in 2020, opting to retire before his 30th birthday so he could spend more time with his family. And he’s clearly enjoying himself.

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Michael Thomas reacts to new deals for Alvin Kamara, Demario Davis

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas was overjoyed to see his teammates Alvin Kamara and Demario Davis sign long-term contracts.

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What was that about the salary cap? The New Orleans Saints have put on a master class in navigating that hurdle this season, so much so that one of their biggest moves flew under the radar until it was mentioned off-handedly during their Week 1 game broadcast.

The Saints signed linebacker Demario Davis to a three-year extension just hours after agreeing to a five-year contract with running back Alvin Kamara, and superstar wide receiver Michael Thomas was as happy as anyone could be to see his teammates get paid.

Thomas reached out to both players from his official Twitter account following Sunday’s season-opening win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, congratulating them on the good news. He also shouted out the Saints front office, which has seen salary cap guru Khai Hartley pull off one magic trick after another on G.M. Mickey Loomis’s direction.

The exact structure of these deals remains to be seen, but for now it’s just encouraging to see the Saints handle their top two priorities for the 2021 free agent class so soon. Even if the salary cap dips down as expected next summer, the Saints can rest easy knowing pillars of their organization like Thomas, Kamara, and Davis are tied to them for the long haul.

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WATCH: Saints party in the locker room after beating Bucs 34-23

The New Orleans Saints defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and celebrated with their signature dance battle amid a locker room party.

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Well that was an exciting one, wasn’t it? The New Orleans Saints players certainly thought so, taking time to celebrate a hard-fought Week 1 win over the upstart Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Saints wideout Emmanuel Sanders shared a look at their postgame antics in the locker room, complete with a D.J. and all the energy fans have gotten used to seeing in recent years.

Sure, it’s not the same as watching Teddy Bridgewater revive “Choppa Style” after decades at the bottom of party playlists. But there’s some real charm in seeing Jameis Winston awkwardly mimic Bridgewater’s signature “bike life” celebration while Alvin Kamara and Craig Robertson are locked in a dance-off.

This is a sign of what is meant when analysts refer to locker room culture; the ease everyone has in sharing camaraderie, and how eager they are to cut loose are leaving it all out on the field. These sort of locker room celebrations have become a staple of Saints postgame activities, and it’s great to see them return for 2020. Maybe next time their music choices will echo a little more cleanly into Sean Payton’s media conference call.

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LOOK: Margus Hunt shows off ‘battle scar’ from blocked field goal vs. Bucs

New Orleans Saints DL Margus Hunt showed off an impressive bruise from his blocked field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Margus Hunt was a call-up from the New Orleans Saints practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and immediately proved why he earned it by blocking a critical Bucs field goal. He just may have gotten more than he bargained for in doing it, sporting a nasty bruise on his right arm after the game. The kick struck him on the inside biceps muscle, and while it looks painful, he’s apparently shaken it off.

But those special teams plays have been something Hunt is known for throughout his football career, in the NFL and at college. Hunt, a 6-foot-8 Estonian immigrant, starred at SMU while recording 17 blocked kicks (including an NCAA-record 10 field goal blocks). He’s kept it up since entering the NFL, blocking five kicks in eight years, including his big play on Sunday.

He also wasn’t the only member of the Saints practice squad to show up on special teams. Veteran wide receiver Bennie Fowler impressed by recovering a muffed kick, setting the Saints up in terrific scoring position late in the game. Both players can be promoted to a game-day roster just once more this season before they have to be signed to the roster full-time, but these early highlights just might have the Saints thinking it’s worth keeping them around.

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Report: Emmanuel Sanders, Chris Godwin plan postgame jersey swap

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Chris Godwin planned a postgame jersey swap, ESPN reports

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The NFL has banned typical postgame jersey swaps between players from opposing teams as an unnecessary risk during the COVID-19 pandemic, but plans are still being made for respect to be shown among peers. Tide has stepped in to sponsor these exchanges by handling the cleaning and shipping costs, and ESPN’s Jenna Laine reports that New Orleans Saints wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders will be participating in the program. He’ll be swapping jerseys with one of his Tampa Bay Buccaneers counterparts, Chris Godwin.

Sanders joined the Saints on a two-year free agent contract early this summer, while Godwin is a 24-year old entering the final year of his rookie contract. Godwin broke out with a Pro Bowl season in 2019, catching 86 of 121 targets to gain 1,333 yards and score 9 touchdown receptions (leading Tampa Bay in each stat). He’s a rising star in the league, and it’s great to see Sanders recognizing him.

At the same time, it’s a sign of respect for what Sanders has accomplished. Despite being stuck with a series of bad quarterbacks ranging from Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch to Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Osweiler, Sanders has still averaged more than 50 yards per game each year he’s played (except for 2017, when he missed time with an injury). He’s a two-time Pro Bowler himself, a Super Bowl champion, and the best No. 2 receiver the Saints have paired with Michael Thomas since Brandin Cooks talked his way out of town.

Here’s hoping Sanders’ Saints get the better of Godwin’s Bucs on Sunday.

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Twitter erupts after Saints, Alvin Kamara reach $75M deal

The New Orleans Saints reached an agreement with Alvin Kamara on a huge contract extension, earning mixed reactions from NFL fans on Twitter

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Is the salary cap real? Maybe not in the sense most NFL fans think of it. Certainly not in the context of what it means to the New Orleans Saints, who view it as a problem worth solving rather than a box to work within.

That was proven when they reached an agreement with running back Alvin Kamara on a five-year, $75 million contract extension, earning a wave of reactions from across experts and fans on Twitter. Here’s the latest chatter:

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WATCH: Saints produce must-see video thanking fans for their support

The New Orleans Saints thanked fans for their support even if the Superdome is empty when they play Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints are set to kick off what may be the quarterback’s final season in the NFL, and against a rare opponent: Tom Brady and his new Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates. But they’ll be playing in a too-quiet Mercedes-Benz Superdome without fans in attendance, as state and local governments work through their COVID-19 pandemic recovery plans.

So the Saints are as bummed as anyone to be playing without 70,000 roaring fans to back them up. But they took time to produce an epic video reflecting on the best in-game highlights from fans all across the Who Dat Nation, thanking them for their support and with a hopeful message — to welcome fans back to the Superdome as soon as possible. See it for yourself:

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