Saints celebrate a special day today

For most of the past two decades, the New Orleans Saints were legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

However, it wasn’t until 2009 that they finally rose to the top of the world, reaching Super Bowl XLIV against Peyton Manning and the all-mighty Indianapolis Colts, and today marks the 13th anniversary of that day. .

13 years ago today: #Saints won the first Super Bowl title in its history after Peyton Manning threw a 6 pick to Tracy Porter in the 4th quarter.pic.twitter.com/yVPuGbGJGv

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 7, 2023

The Colts were favored by five points going into the game, which was unsurprising since they had already won the Vince Lombardi Trophy three years earlier and had reigning MVP Manning pulling the strings on offense.

However, the revamped Saints with newly signed QB Drew Brees under center and a solid defense, rallied from a ten-point deficit to overtake the Colts for an unlikely 31-17 victory.

The Saints were fresh off a 3-13 season and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, so this game was one of the most iconic and emotional in recent NFL history.

Brees wrote his name in the Super Bowl and Saints history books by completing 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns, dedicating the victory to the Big Easy after more than 85% of the city was blanketed in water just a year before the game.

He would go on and end his career in New Orleans and become the greatest player in franchise history, with head coach Sean Payton by his side, although they could no longer achieve the biggest stage.

Now, the once-contested Saints are going through a transition phase, so it might be a while before they reach that stage again.