In the rich history of New Orleans Saints football, few moments have left as deep a scar as the infamous “NOLA No-Call” that occurred on January 20, 2019. It was the NFC Championship Game, a matchup that saw the Saints face off against the Los Angeles Rams in the Superdome. With a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, what should have been a routine call instead spiraled into one of the most controversial non-calls in NFL history.
With the game tied late in the fourth quarter, Saints quarterback Drew Brees dropped back and targeted Tommylee Lewis on a crucial third down. Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman delivered a clear helmet-to-helmet hit before the ball arrived—an obvious case of pass interference and personal foul. Yet, inexplicably, no flags were thrown.
Fans in the stadium were stunned. Millions watching at home could see what the officials somehow didn’t: a blatant foul. The Saints were robbed of a first down deep in Rams territory, which likely would have allowed them to run out the clock and kick a game-winning field goal. Instead, they had to settle for a field goal with too much time left—giving the Rams a chance to tie, and eventually win, in overtime.
The backlash was immediate and explosive. Saints head coach Sean Payton, known for his passionate demeanor, was visibly furious on the sideline. In post-game interviews, he revealed that the league’s head of officiating had already admitted privately that the referees had missed the call. For Saints fans, this was salt in a fresh wound.
Within hours, social media erupted. “Robbery,” “fixed,” and “cheated” trended across platforms. Legal action followed as angry fans filed lawsuits demanding the NFL either overturn the result or replay the game—both actions unprecedented and, ultimately, unsuccessful. Nonetheless, it demonstrated the level of betrayal felt in New Orleans.
The city responded with defiance. During Super Bowl week, New Orleans essentially boycotted the event. Local bars refused to show the game. A massive “anti-Super Bowl” second line parade took place downtown. The Times-Picayune’s front page famously featured a blank white space with the headline: “Super Bowl? What Super Bowl?”
The missed call was so egregious that it pushed the NFL to change its rulebook. The league implemented a rule the following season allowing pass interference calls and non-calls to be reviewed via instant replay. It was a direct response to the NOLA No-Call—a rare case where fan and media outrage forced a change at the highest level of the sport.
However, the new rule didn’t last long. It was repealed after one season due to inconsistent enforcement and confusion among officials. Still, its very existence was a testament to the power of public pressure and the significance of what had transpired on that January day.
For Saints fans, the pain lingers. Many believe the 2018 team, led by a red-hot Drew Brees and a dominant defense, was destined to win the Super Bowl. That dream was shattered not by an opponent’s brilliance, but by an official’s silence. To this day, the phrase “NOLA No-Call” evokes fury, heartbreak, and a bitter sense of what could have been.
The incident also reshaped how fans viewed the integrity of the game. It stirred conversations about officiating accountability and transparency. Saints supporters didn’t just mourn a missed opportunity—they questioned whether their beloved team was the victim of something bigger.
More than five years later, the No-Call remains a defining moment in Saints history. It unified fans in grief and outrage and became a rallying cry for fairness. In New Orleans, where football is a religion, that one missed call became something far greater: a symbol of injustice burned into the soul of a city.
