Supporters of the New Orleans Saints are heading to France, with the journey beginning early Tuesday. An Air France charter flight carrying Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry was expected to land at Charles de Gaulle Airport near Paris.
Gov. Landry, dressed in a hoodie featuring the Saints’ fleur-de-lis symbol, departed from Louis Armstrong Airport on Monday evening. Before his flight, he expressed enthusiasm about spending the week in France ahead of the Sunday’s NFL game between the Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers at Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
“We’ve been in contact with the State Department and our partners over there,” Landry told reporters. “The NFL excels in working with the FBI, Department of Justice, and Interpol to secure new stadiums.”
Landry expressed confidence in the safety measures taken for the trip, as the group carried the Saints’ Super Bowl XLIV Lombardi Trophy.
The NFL recently issued a statement confirming that preparations are underway for the upcoming game, and there has been no disruption at league sites. They emphasized collaboration with local authorities on operational and security aspects.
Some Saints fans are accompanying the team, which traveled to France after their previous game. The Steelers plan to fly out on Thursday, having already engaged in logistical discussions with league officials.
Steelers coach Mike McCarthy stated, “The team is enthusiastic about the trip; we’re aware of the situations there and confident in our plan.”
Pittsburgh players, along with owner Art Rooney II, discussed the trip during a Zoom call with the league office. The players expressed excitement about the overseas game.
Against a backdrop of the French government imposing curfews and shutting down certain businesses due to unrest, New Orleans players, who are already in France, are free to explore on their day off. Some plan to attend a Paris Saint-Germain FC soccer match.
Despite the tensions in France, Gov. Landry plans to conduct business meetings during his visit. These include meetings with the CEOs of Shell and BP. Additionally, he hopes to lobby NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who will attend the game, to bring another Super Bowl to New Orleans.
Leave a Reply