Tag: super bowl 44

Saints’ Super Bowl 44 win ranked 17th-best of all time

The New Orleans Saints’ win in Super Bowl XLIV over the Indianapolis Colts was ranked the 17th best title game in NFL history by USA Today.

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The New Orleans Saints were recognized for their victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV by that game being ranked the 17th-best title game in NFL history by USA Today. It remains the most memorable game in Saints history, thanks to huge plays ranging form Pierre Thomas’s crafty running on a screen pass touchdown, to Thomas Morstead’s “Ambush” onside kick, to Lance Moore’s just-in two-point conversion and Tracy Porter’s famous interception returned for a touchdown. The writeup from USA Today’s Nate Davis summed it up well:

The Saints ended decades of futility courtesy of MVP Drew Brees’ pinpoint passing, coach Sean Payton’s surprise onside kick to start the second half and CB Tracy Porter’s game-sealing pick six of Peyton Manning.

This win in Super Bowl XLIV brought the first NFL championship to New Orleans in franchise history, providing the high point in the greatest era of Saints football. It ended a decades-long championship drought for the city and ushered fans into a new time where competing for another title has been the expectation, not the long-shot hope.

It’s not something the NFC South-rival Atlanta Falcons can boast. That team still hasn’t won a Super Bowl, and their loss in Super Bowl LI ended up earning the top spot in the USA Today rankings. We’d be remiss to forget how that game saw the Falcons surrender a 28-3 lead late in the third quarter in the most epic collapse in the championship game’s history. You love to see it.

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Report: Former Saints kicker Garrett Hartley signs with XFL after tryout

Former New Orleans Saints kicker Garrett Hartley, whose famous field goal in overtime sent the team to Super Bowl XLIV, signed with the XFL.

Garrett Hartley earned his place in New Orleans Saints history by booting the 20-yard field goal to end overtime against the Minnesota Vikings in the 2009 NFC Championship Game, propelling the Saints to Super Bowl XLIV, their first title game in franchise history. Hartley hung around the NFL for a few more years, having last played in 2014 with the Cleveland Browns.

However, per a report from ESPN staff writer Kevin Seifert, Hartley is preparing to kick again professionally: now with the XFL. Hartley was one of several kickers to try out for the alternative football league, and he ended up signing a contract with them. It’s unclear which of the eight XFL teams he’ll play for, however — contracts are signed with the league itself rather than its member squads.

Still, it’s great to see Hartley get this opportunity. Other former Saints players like pass-rusher Hau’oli Kikaha and wide receiver Tommylee Lewis are trying their luck in the XFL, and some of Hartley’s past teammates such as wideout Robert Meachem also attended past tryouts. Hartley turns 34 in May, a month after the XFL’s inaugural season wraps up.

The startup league’s first games are scheduled for Feb. 8, in a double-header featuring matchups between the Seattle Dragons and D.C. Defenders (at 1 p.m. CT on ABC), as well as the L.A. Wildcats and Houston Roughnecks (at 5 p.m. CT on FOX). Maybe some former members of the black and gold can keep it going in the XFL.

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Tracy Porter officially retires, will be honored during Saints-Vikings game

Saints cornerback Tracy Porter’s interception of Brett Favre is the stuff of legends. So it’s fitting that he’ll retire against the Vikings.

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Here’s an added element to the energy surrounding Sunday’s wild-card round playoff game between the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings. Former Saints cornerback Tracy Porter is officially announcing his retirement from professional football, and will be recognized for his contributions to Saints history during this week’s game day festivities. This is sure to sit well with any visiting Vikings fans.

Porter, of course, rose to prominence during the Saints’ first Super Bowl run, particularly the 2009 NFC Championship Game. Porter intercepted then-Vikings quarterback Brett Favre in the closing seconds of regulation to force the game into overtime, which the Saints won off of a legendary Garrett Hartley field goal. Porter also intercepted Peyton Manning to seal the win in Super Bowl XLIV, returning that turnover for a championship-clinching defensive touchdown. Those are some serious credentials to pad out your resume with.

Sure, Porter’s retirement now is more of a formality — he hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2016, which he spent with the Chicago Bears. But this is a perfect opportunity for fans remember his contributions and maybe rile up the Superdome crowd. And if it happens to tweak some salty Vikings faithful — well, take it up with Favre for throwing that awful interception across his body. He and Adrian Peterson were giving away fumbles and interceptions like they were going out of style (the Vikings committed eight turnovers as a team in that conference title game). It’s not the Saints’ fault for capitalizing on Minnesota’s mistakes. But by goodness are we going to celebrate it.

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What’s happened since the Saints, Colts put Super Bowl XLIV behind them?

The New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts are set to kick off on Monday night. How have their fortunes gone since Super Bowl XLIV?

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Week 15’s Monday Night Football feature will highlight a Super Bowl XLIV rematch, with the New Orleans Saints hosting the Indianapolis Colts from inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Monday night’s game will mark just the third matchup between the two teams since the Saints’ 31-17 victory in Super Bowl XLIV nearly a decade ago.

New Orleans has won both of the previous matchups, with many fans probably recalling the 2011 blowout in which the Saints pummeled the Curtis Painter-led Colts 62-7. Both teams played a much more even game during the ir2015 meeting, but New Orleans was able to edge out the 27-21 win on the road.

Both franchises have storied histories, each as unique as the other. But, what has happened to the two franchises since Super Bowl XLIV, when Drew Brees and Peyton Manning last shared the field? And what may lie ahead for both teams?

New Orleans Saints

New Orleans has enjoyed a period of largely sustained success, as they have made the playoffs six times in the ten seasons (including this year) following their Super Bowl victory. There is an argument to be made that in three of those six seasons (2011, 2017, 2018) the Saints were a Super Bowl-caliber team, but we’ll never know given each year’s dramatic playoff exit.

While the six seasons of playoff appearances are the highlights of the last decade, there have been plenty of downs to help offset the positives. The Saints recorded a 7-9 record in each of these seasons they did not make the playoffs, often lowering the bar for historically-bad defense. The Bountygate controversy played some part of that when head coach Sean Payton was suspended for the entirety of the 2012 season.

Despite some blemishes, the last decade has been very good to the Saints. Drew Brees has cemented himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game after breaking nearly every single record in the book. Now, he will play tonight with one more on the line: the NFL record for career passing touchdowns. He will need three touchdowns to break Colts legend Peyton Manning’s record 539 touchdown passes. There is more than just playoff seeding at stake during Monday night’s matchup. New Orleans are eyeing another Super Bowl run, and looked poised to make a deep playoff push if they can build momentum against the Colts.

Indianapolis Colts

In the ten years following Super Bowl XLIV, the Colts have not quite enjoyed the same successes as their opponent. After their Super Bowl loss, Indianapolis continued to play well as evidenced by making the playoffs in five of those years (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2018). However, only the 2014 squad truly looked like a contender. The Colts also experienced multiple losing seasons, including a 2011 season which saw them achieve an unsightly 2-14.

While the Saints have enjoyed stability, particularly at the quarterback position, Indianapolis has seen turmoil. Their franchise quarterback Manning left for the Denver Broncos, and his replacement, Andrew Luck, looked like he was making an early case for the Hall of Fame. Instead, Luck retired in 2019, making way for Jacoby Brissett.

Indianapolis is a proud franchise, and will always do whatever it takes to at least be competitive. Despite a huge blow to start the season, the Colts have played to an admirable 6-7, and will look to add New Orleans to their list of beaten foes during primetime on Monday Night Football.

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Watch: Jonathan Vilma addresses Saints before practice, on behalf of 2009 team

Super Bowl-winning LB Jonathan Vilma spoke to the New Orleans Saints ahead of their Monday Night Football game with the Indianapolis Colts

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The New Orleans Saints were joined by special guests at their Sunday practice, ahead of Monday’s game with the Indianapolis Colts. Members of the 2009 team that won Super Bowl XLIV were in attendance to observe the practice session and catch up with each other, as well as the players who are following in their footsteps.

Among them was former Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who was invited to open up practice with an impromptu speech. You can watch that speech where it’s been embedded below, or by following this link.

Surrounded by current and former members of the Saints, Vilma brought them all together and delivered a message on behalf of his teammates who won it all, ten years ago.

“Hey man, Coach isn’t lying,” Vilma began, referencing earlier comments from Saints coach Sean Payton. “We wanna see you guys be great, we wanna see you guys win. We do live vicariously through you. We hope that you win. We hurt just like you hurt last year. I hope you get it done this year. You’ve got all the tools and all the talent.”

It’s very cool to see Vilma surrounded again by black and gold, and for so many familiar faces to crowd the Saints practice facility. The Saints plan to honor the 2009 team during halftime of Monday night’s game against the Colts, and it won’t be something Saints fans want to miss.

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Saints add commemorative Super Bowl patches to jerseys for MNF

The New Orleans Saints will wear jersey patches commemorating their Super Bowl XLIV victory during their game with the Indianapolis Colts.

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There’s no better occasion for the New Orleans Saints to remember the tenth anniversary of their victory in Super Bowl XLIV than their next matchup against the team they beat in that title game, so they’ll be adding memorial patches to their jerseys for this week’s “Monday Night Football” kickoff with the Indianapolis Colts. The first look at these patches came from Saints punter Thomas Morstead, in a series of photos he shared from his official Twitter account.

The Saints have implemented memorial patches on their jerseys before, including tributes to late owner Tom Benson in 2018 and celebrations of the team’s fiftieth season in 2016. They’ve also worn helmet decals in memory of former teammates like defensive end Will Smith, who was murdered in 2016. They don’t often modify their uniforms, but the Saints do take care to recognize special people and occasions.

In addition to this unique jersey patch, the Saints will be recognizing the Super Bowl XLIV-winning team during halftime of Monday night’s game, with many former players, coaches, and support staff in attendance. It’s shaping up for a festive atmosphere full of memories of the 2009 team that went all the way. Here’s hoping some of that energy fuels the current Saints squad as they push towards the playoffs and a chance at bringing home another Super Bowl title.

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Colts return unsold tickets for Monday Night Football vs. Saints

The Indianapolis Colts returned unsold tickets for their Monday Night Football game against the New Orleans Saints in prime-time.

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The Indianapolis Colts returned an unsold portion of their ticket allotment for their “Monday Night Football” game against the New Orleans Saints next week, opening the door for Saints fans who want to be in that number but haven’t gotten a seat yet to claim theirs. Tickets can be purchased by following this link.

In addition to the usual festivities that surround a Saints game, this prime-time matchup will recognize the team that won Super Bowl XLIV for New Orleans — a victory that came against these same Colts, as luck would have it. The Saints announced Friday that they plan to introduce many players and coaches from that championship-winning squad at halftime.

Few players on today’s Saints team remain from the 2009 team that went the distance. Quarterback Drew Brees is putting the final touches of his Hall of Fame resume, while punter Thomas Morstead is playing the best football of his career in his eleventh season. Their last remaining teammate from the Super Bowl champions, right tackle Zach Strief, retired after the 2017 season and joined the WWL Radio broadcast booth.

So this is a great opportunity for fans without tickets to relive some great memories and welcome Saints legends like Marques Colston, Reggie Bush, Garrett Hartley, and Jabari Greer back into the Superdome. This won’t be a game you’ll want to miss.

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