New Orleans Saints to practice at TCU in aftermath of Hurricane Ida, source says
TCU will open its doors to the New Orleans Saints next week.
The Saints will practice at TCU’s facilities starting Monday, a source confirmed Tuesday night. The Saints have relocated to DFW in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida.
Earlier Tuesday, coach Gary Patterson said the school would gladly welcome the Saints. Saints coach Sean Payton’s son, Connor, is a student assistant with the TCU football program.
“We’ve talked to them about it. I hope they come over here,” Patterson said during his weekly news conference on Tuesday. “They do most of their practicing in the morning. They’re done by usually 2 p.m. We don’t start until 2 p.m. It’s really an easy fit as far as weight room, practice facilities, all of those kinds of things.”
TCU has two outdoor grass practice field as well as the grass field inside Amon G. Carter Stadium. The Sam Baugh Indoor Facility has an 80-yard turf field, which is next to a two-story weight room.
TCU hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers for their practices leading into Super Bowl XLV at AT&T Stadium. The Green Bay Packers knocked off the Steelers in that game. The Dallas Cowboys have also practiced at TCU as well as the XFL’s Dallas Renegades.
The Saints are practicing at AT&T Stadium this week after fleeing ahead of Ida. Ida hit the Louisiana coast on Sunday and the storm left much of the city without power and dealing with floods.
The Saints will practice at AT&T Stadium again on Wednesday before moving to TCU next week.
AT&T Stadium could end up being the site of the Saints’ season opener against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 12. TCU has not been discussed as a possible site for that game. TCU will only be used as a practice site.
Patterson mentioned a couple other notable children working as student assistants in the football office including San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch’s daughter and Air Force coach Troy Calhoun’s son.
TCU opens its season against Duquesne on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
This story was originally published August 31, 2021 at 3:39 PM.
