There’s more adversity brewing for the New Orleans Saints. On Tuesday, Saints coach Sean Payton shared his team’s early plans for managing their evacuation away from Hurricane Ida, saying that they plan to be away from their homes for a month to be safe — with hopes of cutting that exodus short once it’s safe to return to New Orleans. Right now, widespread power outages and lack of running water are providing serious public safety hazards to the city.
But that means working from the road for the first three or four weeks of the regular season. The Saints are scheduled for two home games in that span at the Caesars Superdome, hosting the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 and the New York Giants in Week 4. While the Superdome and the Saints training facility received only minor damage, more serious issues throughout New Orleans may prevent the Saints from returning home just yet.
So where will they play and practice? Payton said that the team is still exploring their options, having initially considered the Dallas Cowboys’ practice facility in Oxnard, Ca., only to rule it out with early-season road games on the East Coast (facing the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots in Weeks 2 and 3). So a more central location is preferable, and Payton suggested a college football facility could better fit their needs. They’ve bought a few days’ worth of time at the Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium but need a more long-term fix.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates as the Saints’ plans begin to clarify.
