ATLANTA, GA — Just weeks before their Week 1 showdown, Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris has ignited a firestorm with bold comments aimed directly at the New Orleans Saints.
In an interview with The Athletic, Morris was asked about the heated NFC South rivalry. Instead of downplaying the tension, he leaned into it:
“The Saints? They’re living off old hype. This isn’t the Drew Brees era anymore. We’re not afraid of New Orleans.”
The comment immediately went viral. Saints fans flooded social media with gifs, memes, and reminders of Atlanta’s blown leads and empty trophy case. Even former Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu couldn’t hold back.
“Funny how people talk loud when they’ve been quiet for years,” Mathieu tweeted, adding a subtle “#KeepThatEnergy.”
Current Saints quarterback Derek Carr was asked about the remarks during OTAs. His response was cool—but clear:
“They’ll feel it when they line up across from us. Talking doesn’t win games. Sunday will.”
Saints head coach Dennis Allen also added fuel to the fire in his presser.
“We don’t do bulletin board material here. But we’re aware. Let’s just say… we’ll be ready in the dome.”
The NFL quickly promoted the Week 1 matchup as “Rivalry Reignited”, confirming it will now be featured on Sunday Night Football, elevating what was already a grudge match into a national spectacle.
Adding more drama, both teams are entering 2025 with rising expectations: the Saints after a strong free agency haul, and the Falcons with a new-look offense behind QB Kirk Cousins and rookie sensation TreVion Brooks.
Longtime NFL analyst Shannon Sharpe weighed in on the buzz:
“Saints-Falcons is about to get ugly—and I love it. This isn’t just football. It’s Southern pride on the line.”
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome is expected to sell out in record time. The Saints’ official X account posted a cryptic message after the Falcons’ comments:
“They barked. We build. September 7th welcome to the noise.”
